MOLLY  MCDONALD 


tuo 


Molly  McDonald 

A  TALE  OF  THE  OLD  FRONTIER 


BY 
RANDALL    PARRISH 

AUTHOR  OF  "KEITH  OF  THE  BORDER,"  "MY  LADY  OF  DOUBT,' 
"MY  LADY  OF  THE  SOUTH,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


WITH  FOUR  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

ERNEST   L.    BLUMENSCHEIN 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 

1912 


COPYRIGHT 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 
1912 


Published  April,  1912 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 


PRESS    OF    THE    VAIL    COMPANY 
COSHOCTON,    U.    S.    A. 


Rnnex 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  AN  UNPLEASANT  SITUATION 9 

II  "BRICK"  HAMLIN 19 

III  THE  NEWS  AT  RIPLEY 31 

IV  THE  ATTACK 41 

V  THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  STAGE 51 

VI  THE  CONDITION  IN  THE  COACH 62 

VII  PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE 72 

VIII  A  WAY  TO  THE  RIVER 83 

IX  ACROSS  THE  RIVER •     •     •    95 

X  THE  RIPENING  OF  ACQUAINTANCE 106 

XI  A  REMEMBRANCE  OF  THE  PAST 117 

XII  THE  PARTING 127 

XIII  BACK  AT  FORT  DODGE 137 

XIV  UNDER  ARREST 148 

XV  AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE 159 

XVI  THE  MEETING 170 

XVII  AT  CROSS- PURPOSES 180 

XVIII  ANOTHER  MESSAGE 189 

XIX  A  FULL  CONFESSION 200 

XX  MOLLY  TELLS  HER  STORY 212 

XXI  MOLLY  DISAPPEARS 220 

XXII  A  DEEPENING  MYSTERY 232 

XXIII  THE  DEAD  BODY 243 

XXIV  IN  PURSUIT 252 

XXV  IN  THE  BLIZZARD 264 

XXVI  UNSEEN  DANGER 274 

XXVII  HUGHES'  STORY 285 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

CHAPTER  I 

AN   UNPLEASANT   SITUATION 

WHEN,  late  in  May,  1868,  Major  Daniel  Mc 
Donald,  Sixth  Infantry,  was  first  assigned  to 
command  the  new  three  company  post  established  south 
west  of  Fort  Dodge,  designed  to  protect  the  newly 
discovered  Cimarron  trail  leading  to  Santa  Fe  across 
the  desert,  and,  purely  by  courtesy,  officially  termed 
Fort  Devere,  he  naturally  considered  it  perfectly  safe 
to  invite  his  only  daughter  to  join  him  there  for  her 
summer  vacation.  Indeed,  at  that  time,  there  was 
apparently  no  valid  reason  why  he  should  deny  him 
self  this  pleasure.  Except  for  certain  vague  rumors 
regarding  uneasiness  among  the  Sioux  warriors  north 
of  the  Platte,  the  various  tribes  of  the  Plains  were  caus 
ing  no  unusual  trouble  to  military  authorities,  although, 
of  course,  there  was  no  time  in  the  history  of  that 
country  utterly  devoid  of  peril  from  young  raiders, 

9 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

usually  aided  and  abetted  by  outcast  whites.  How 
ever,  the  Santa  Fe  route,  by  this  date,  had  become  a 
well-travelled  trail,  protected  by  scattered  posts  along 
its  entire  route,  frequently  patrolled  by  troops,  and 
merely  considered  dangerous  for  small  parties,  south  of 
the  Cimarron,  where  roving  Comanches  in  bad  humor 
might  be  encountered. 

Fully  assured  as  to  this  by  officers  met  at  Fort  Rip- 
ley,  McDonald,  who  had  never  before  served  west  of 
the  Mississippi,  wrote  his  daughter  a  long  letter,  de 
scribing  in  careful  detail  the  route,  set  an  exact  date 
for  her  departure,  and  then,  satisfied  all  was  well  ar 
ranged,  set  forth  with  his  small  command  on  the  long 
march  overland.  He  had  not  seen  his  daughter  for 
over  two  years,  as  during  her  vacation  time  (she  was 
attending  Sunnycrest  School,  on  the  Hudson),  she 
made  her  home  with  an  aunt  in  Connecticut.  This 
year  the  aunt  was  in  Europe,  not  expecting  to  return 
until  fall,  and  the  father  had  hopefully  counted  on 
having  the  girl  with  him  once  again  in  Kentucky. 
Then  came  his  sudden,  unexpected  transfer  west,  and 
the  final  decision  to  have  her  join  him  there.  Why 
not?  If  she  remained  the  same  high-spirited  army 
girl,  she  would  thoroughly  enjoy  the  unusual  experience 
of  a  few  months  of  real  frontier  life,  and  the  only 

10 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SITUATION 

hardship  involved  would  be  the  long  stage  ride  from 
Ripley.  This,  however,  was  altogether  prairie  travel, 
monotonous  enough  surely,  but  without  special  danger, 
and  he  could  doubtless  arrange  to  meet  her  himself  at 
Kansas  City,  or  send  one  of  his  officers  for  that  pur 
pose. 

This  was  the  situation  in  May,  but  by  the  middle  of 
June  conditions  had  greatly  changed  throughout  all  the 
broad  Plains  country.  The  spirit  of  savage  war  had 
spread  rapidly  from  the  Platte  to  the  Rio  Pecos,  and 
scarcely  a  wild  tribe  remained  disaffected.  Arapahoe, 
Cheyenne,  Pawnee,  Comanche,  and  Apache  alike  es 
poused  the  cause  of  the  Sioux,  and  their  young  warriors, 
breaking  away  from  the  control  of  older  chiefs,  became 
ugly  and  warlike.  Devere,  isolated  as  it  was  from  the 
main  route  of  travel  (the  Santa  Fe  stages  still  follow 
ing  the  more  northern  trail),  heard  merely  rumors  of 
the  prevailing  condition  through  tarrying  hunters,  and 
possibly  an  occasional  army  courier,  yet  soon  realized 
the  gravity  of  the  situation  because  of  the  almost  total 
cessation  of  travel  by  way  of  the  Cimarron  and  the 
growing  insolence  of  the  surrounding  Comanches. 
Details  from  the  small  garrison  were,  under  urgent  or 
ders  from  headquarters  at  Fort  Wallace,  kept  con 
stantly  scouting  as  far  south  as  the  fork  of  the  Red 

ji 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

River,  and  then  west  to  the  mountains.  Squads  from 
the  single  cavalry  company  guarded  the  few  caravans 
venturing  still  to  cross  the  Cimarron  Desert,  or  bore 
despatches  to  Fort  Dodge.  Thus  the  few  soldiers  re 
maining  on  duty  at  the  home  station  became  slowly 
aware  that  this  outburst  of  savagery  was  no  longer  a 
mere  tribal  affair.  Outrages  were  reported  from  the 
Solomon,  the  Republican,  the  Arkansas  valleys.  A 
settlement  was  raided  on  Smoky  Fork;  stages  were  at 
tacked  near  the  Caches,  and  one  burned;  a  wagon  train 
was  ambushed  in  the  Raton  Pass,  and  only  escaped 
after  desperate  fighting.  Altogether  the  situation  ap 
peared  extremely  serious  and  the  summer  promised 
war  in  earnest. 

McDonald  was  rather  slow  to  appreciate  the  real 
facts.  His  knowledge  of  Indian  tactics  was  exceed 
ingly  small,  and  the  utter  isolation  of  his  post  kept  him 
ignorant.  At  first  he  was  convinced  that  it  was  merely 
a  local  disturbance  and  would  end  as  suddenly  as  begun. 
Then,  when  realization  finally  came,  it  was  already  too 
late  to  stop  the  girl.  She  would  be  already  on  her 
long  journey.  What  could  he  do?  What  immediate 
steps  could  he  hope  to  take  for  her  protection  ?  Ordi 
narily  he  would  not  have  hesitated,  but  now  a  decision 
was  not  so  easily  made.  Of  his  command  scarcely 

12 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SITUATION 

thirty  men  remained  at  Devere,  a  mere  infantry  guard, 
together  with  a  small  squad  of  cavalrymen,  retained 
for  courier  service.  His  only  remaining  commissioned 
officer  at  the  post  was  the  partially  disabled  cavalry 
captain,  acting  temporarily  as  adjutant,  because  inca 
pacitated  for  taking  the  field.  He  had  waited  until 
the  last  possible  moment,  trusting  that  a  shift  in  condi 
tions  might  bring  back  some  available  officer.  Now 
he  had  to  choose  between  his  duty  as  commander  and 
as  father.  Further  delay  was  impossible. 

Devere  was  a  fort  merely  by  courtesy.  In  reality 
it  consisted  only  of  a  small  stockade  hastily  built  of  cot- 
tonwood  timber,  surrounding  in  partial  protection  a 
half  dozen  shacks,  and  one  fairly  decent  log  house. 
The  situation  was  upon  a  slight  elevation  overlooking 
the  ford,  some  low  bluffs,  bare  of  timber  but  green  with 
June  grass  to  the  northward,  while  in  every  other  direc 
tion  extended  an  interminable  sand-desert,  ever  shifting 
beneath  wind  blasts,  presenting  as  desolate  a  scene  as 
eye  could  witness.  The  yellow  flood  of  the  river,  still 
swollen  by  melting  mountain  snow,  was  a  hundred  feet 
from  the  stockade  gate,  and  on  its  bank  stood  the  log 
cavalry  stables.  Below,  a  scant  half  mile  away,  were 
the  only  trees  visible,  a  scraggly  grove  of  cottonwoods, 
while  down  the  face  of  the  bluff  and  across  the  flat  ran 

13 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

the  slender  ribbon  of  trail.  Monotonous,  unchanging, 
it  was  a  desolate  picture  to  watch  day  after  day  in  the 
hot  summer. 

In  the  gloom  following  an  early  supper  the  two  of 
ficers  sat  together  in  the  single  room  of  the  cabin,  a 
candle  sputtering  on  the  table  behind  them,  smoking 
silently  or  moodily  discussing  the  situation.  McDon 
ald  was  florid  and  heavily  built,  his  gray  mustache 
hanging  heavily  over  a  firm  mouth,  while  the  Captain 
was  of  another  type,  tall,  with  dark  eyes  and  hair. 
The  latter  by  chance  opened  the  important  topic. 

"  By  the  way,  Major,"  he  said  carelessly,  "  I  guess 
it  is  just  as  well  you  stopped  your  daughter  from  com 
ing  out  to  this  hole.  Lord,  but  it  would  be  an  awful 
place  for  a  woman." 

"  But  I  did  n't,"  returned  the  other  moodily.  "  I 
put  it  off  too  long." 

"  Put  it  off!  Good  heavens,  man,  did  n't  you  write 
when  you  spoke  about  doing  so?  Do  you  actually 
mean  the  girl  is  coming  —  here?" 

McDonald  groaned. 

"  That  is  exactly  what  I  mean,  Travers.  Damme, 
I  have  n't  thought  of  anything  else  for  a  week.  Oh, 
I  know  now  I  was  an  old  fool  even  to  conceive  of  such 
a  trip,  but  when  I  first  wrote  her  I  had  no  conception 

14 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SITUATION 

of  what  it  was  going  to  be  like  out  here.  There  was 
not  a  rumor  of  Indian  trouble  a  month  ago,  and  when 
the  tribes  did  brer.k  out  it  was  too  late  for  me  to  get 
word  back  East.  The  fact  is,  I  am  in  the  devil  of  a  fix 
—  without  even  an  officer  whom  I  can  send  to  meet 
her,  or  turn  her  back.  If  I  should  go  myself  it  would 
mean  a  court-martial." 

Travers  stared  into  the  darkness  through  the  open 
door,  sucking  at  his  pipe. 

"  By  George,  you  are  in  a  pickle,"  he  acknowledged 
slowly.  "  I  supposed  she  had  been  headed  off  long 
ago.  Have  n't  heard  you  mention  the  matter  since  we 
first  got  here.  Where  do  you  suppose  the  lass  is  by 
now?" 

"  Near  as  I  can  tell  she  would  leave  Ripley  the 
1 8th." 

"  Humph !  Then  starting  to-night,  a  good  rider 
might  intercept  her  at  Fort  Dodge.  She  would  be  in 
no  danger  travelling  alone  for  that  distance.  The  reg 
ular  stages  are  running  yet,  I  suppose?" 

"Yes;  so  f?r  as  I  know." 

"Under  guard?" 

"Only  from  the  Caches  to  Fort  Union;  there  has 
been  no  trouble  along  the  lower  Arkansas  yet.  The 
troops  from  Dodge  are  scouting  the  country  north,  and 

15 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

we  are  supposed  to  keep  things  clear  of  hostiles  down 
this  way." 

"  Supposed  to  —  yes ;  but  we  can't  patrol  five  hun 
dred  miles  of  desert  with  a  hundred  men,  most  of  them 
dough-boys.  The  devils  can  break  through  any  time 
they  get  ready  —  you  know  that.  At  this  minute 
there  is  n't  a  mile  of  safe  country  between  Dodge  and 
Union.  If  she  was  my  daughter  — " 

"You'd  do  what?"  broke  in  McDonald,  jumping 
to  his  feet.  "  I  'd  give  my  life  to  know  what  to  do !  " 

"  Why,  I  'd  send  somebody  to  meet  her  —  to  turn 
her  back  if  that  was  possible.  Peyton  would  look 
after  her  there  at  Ripley  until  you  could  arrange." 

"  That 's  easy  enough  to  say,  Travers,  but  tell  me 
who  is  there  to  send?  Do  you  chance  to  know  an 
enlisted  man  out  yonder  who  would  do  —  whom  you 
would  trust  to  take  care  of  a  young  girl  alone  ?  " 

The  Captain  bent  his  head  on  one  hand,  silent  for 
some  minutes. 

"They  are  a  tough  lot,  Major;  that's  a  fact,  when 
you  stop  to  call  the  roll.  Those  recruits  we  got  at 
Leavenworth  were  mostly  rough-necks  —  seven  of  them 
in  the  guard-house  to-night.  Our  best  men  are  all 
out,"  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  to  the  south.  "  It 's 
only  the  riff-raff  we  Ve  got  left,  at  Devere." 

16 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SITUATION 

"You  can't  go?" 

The  Captain  rubbed  his  lame  leg  regretfully. 
"  No ;  I  'd  risk  it  if  I  could  only  ride,  but  I  could  n't 
sit  a  saddle." 

"  And  my  duty  is  here;  it  would  cost  me  my  com 


mission." 


There  was  a  long  thoughtful  silence,  both  men 
moodily  staring  out  through  the  door.  Away  in  the 
darkness  unseen  sentinels  called  the  hour.  Then 
Travers  dropped  one  hand  on  the  other's  knee. 

"  Dan,"  he  said  swiftly,  "  how  about  that  fellow 
who  came  in  with  despatches  from  Union  just  before 
dark?  He  looked  like  a  real  man." 

"  I  did  n't  see  him.  I  was  down  river  with  the 
wood-cutters  all  day." 

Travers  got  up  and  paced  the  floor. 

"I  remember  now.  What  do  you  say?  Let's 
have  him  in,  anyhow.  They  never  would  have  trusted 
him  for  that  ride  if  he  had  n't  been  the  right  sort." 
He  strode  over  to  the  door,  without  waiting  an  answer. 
"  Here,  Carter,"  he  called,  "  do  you  know  where  that 
cavalryman  is  who  rode  in  from  Fort  Union  this  after 
noon?" 

A  face  appeared  in  the  glow  of  light,  and  a  gloved 
hand  rose  to  salute. 

17 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  He  's  asleep  in  *  B's '  shack,  sir,"  the  orderly  re 
plied.  "  Said  he  'd  been  on  the  trail  two  nights  and  a 
day." 

"  Reckon  he  had,  and  some  riding  at  that.  Rout 
him  out,  will  you;  tell  him  the  Major  wants  to  see 
him  here  at  once." 

The  man  wheeled  as  if  on  a  pivot,  and  disappeared. 

"  If  Carter  could  only  ride,"  began  McDonald,  but 
Travers  interrupted  impatiently. 

"If  I  But  we  all  know  he  can't.  Worst  I  ever  saw, 
must  have  originally  been  a  sailor."  He  slowly  re 
filled  his  pipe.  "  Now,  see  here,  Dan,  it 's  your 
daughter  that 's  to  be  looked  after,  and  therefore  I 
want  you  to  size  this  man  up  for  yourself.  I  don't 
pretend  to  know  anything  about  him,  only  he  looks  like 
a  soldier,  and  they  must  think  well  of  him  at  Union." 

McDonald  nodded,  but  without  enthusiasm;  then 
dropped  his  head  into  his  hands.  In  the  silence  a 
coyote  howled  mournfully  not  far  away;  then  a  shadow 
appeared  on  the  log  step,  the  light  of  the  candle  flash 
ing  on  a  row  of  buttons. 

"  This  is  the  man,  sir,"  said  the  orderly,  and  stood 
aside  to  permit  the  other  to  enter. 


18 


CHAPTER  II 

"  BRICK  "    HAMLIN 

^  I  ^HE  two  officers  looked  up  with  some  eagerness, 
•*•  McDonald  straightening  in  his  chair,  and  return 
ing  the  cavalryman's  salute  instinctively,  his  eyes  ex 
pressing  surprise.  He  was  a  straight-limbed  fellow, 
slenderly  built,  and  appearing  taller  than  he  really  was 
by  reason  of  his  erect,  soldierly  carriage ;  thin  of  waist, 
broad  of  chest,  dressed  in  rough  service  uniform,  with 
out  jacket,  just  as  he  had  rolled  out  of  the  saddle,  rough 
shirt  open  at  the  throat,  patched,  discolored  trousers, 
with  broad  yellow  stripe  down  the  seam,  stuck  in 
to  service  riding  boots,  a  revolver  dangling  at  his 
left  hip,  and  a  soft  hat,  faded  sadly,  crushed  in  one 
hand. 

The  Major  saw  all  this,  yet  it  was  at  the  man's  un 
covered  face  he  gazed  most  intently.  He  looked  upon 
a  countenance  browned  by  sun  and  alkali,  intelligent, 
sober,  heavily  browed,  with  eyes  of  dark  gray  rather 
deeply  set;  firm  lips,  a  chin  somewhat  prominent,  and 
a  broad  forehead,  the  light  colored  hair  above  closely 

19 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  He  's  asleep  in  '  B's '  shack,  sir,"  the  orderly  re 
plied.  "  Said  he  'd  been  on  the  trail  two  nights  and  a 
day." 

"  Reckon  he  had,  and  some  riding  at  that.  Rout 
him  out,  will  you;  tell  him  the  Major  wants  to  see 
him  here  at  once." 

The  man  wheeled  as  if  on  a  pivot,  and  disappeared. 

"  If  Carter  could  only  ride,"  began  McDonald,  but 
Travers  interrupted  impatiently. 

"  If!  But  we  all  know  he  can't.  Worst  I  ever  saw, 
must  have  originally  been  a  sailor."  He  slowly  re 
filled  his  pipe.  "  Now,  see  here,  Dan,  it 's  your 
daughter  that 's  to  be  looked  after,  and  therefore  I 
want  you  to  size  this  man  up  for  yourself.  I  don't 
pretend  to  know  anything  about  him,  only  he  looks  like 
a  soldier,  and  they  must  think  well  of  him  at  Union." 

McDonald  nodded,  but  without  enthusiasm;  then 
dropped  his  head  into  his  hands.  In  the  silence  a 
coyote  howled  mournfully  not  far  away;  then  a  shadow 
appeared  on  the  log  step,  the  light  of  the  candle  flash 
ing  on  a  row  of  buttons. 

"  This  is  the  man,  sir,"  said  the  orderly,  and  stood 
aside  to  permit  the  other  to  enter. 


18 


CHAPTER  II 

"  BRICK  "    HAMLIN 

THE  two  officers  looked  up  with  some  eagerness, 
McDonald  straightening  in  his  chair,  and  return 
ing  the  cavalryman's  salute  instinctively,  his  eyes  ex 
pressing  surprise.  He  was  a  straight-limbed  fellow, 
slenderly  built,  and  appearing  taller  than  he  really  was 
by  reason  of  his  erect,  soldierly  carriage ;  thin  of  waist, 
broad  of  chest,  dressed  in  rough  service  uniform,  with 
out  jacket,  just  as  he  had  rolled  out  of  the  saddle,  rough 
shirt  open  at  the  throat,  patched,  discolored  trousers, 
with  broad  yellow  stripe  down  the  seam,  stuck  in 
to  service  riding  boots,  a  revolver  dangling  at  his 
left  hip,  and  a  soft  hat,  faded  sadly,  crushed  in  one 
hand. 

The  Major  saw  all  this,  yet  it  was  at  the  man's  un 
covered  face  he  gazed  most  intently.  He  looked  upon 
a  countenance  browned  by  sun  and  alkali,  intelligent, 
sober,  heavily  browed,  with  eyes  of  dark  gray  rather 
deeply  set;  firm  lips,  a  chin  somewhat  prominent,  and 
a  broad  forehead,  the  light  colored  hair  above  closely 

19 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

trimmed;  the  cheeks  were  darkened  by  two  days' 
growth  of  beard.  McDonald  unclosed,  then  clenched 
his  hand. 

"  You  are  from  Fort  Union,  Captain  Travers  tells 
me?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  the  reply  slow,  deliberate,  as  though  the 
speaker  had  no  desire  to  waste  words.  "  I  brought 
despatches;  they  were  delivered  to  Captain  Travers." 
'  Yes,  I  know ;  but  I  may  require  you  for  other  serv 
ice.  What  were  your  orders?  " 

"  To  return  at  convenience." 

"  Good.  I  know  Hawley,  and  do  not  think  he 
would  object.  What  is  your  regiment?" 

"  Seventh  Cavalry." 

"  Oh,  yes,  just  organized;  before  that?  " 

"  The  Third." 

"  I  see  you  are  a  non-com  —  corporal?  " 

"  Sergeant,  sir,  since  my  transfer." 

14  Second  enlistment?  " 

"  No,  first  in  the  regulars  —  the  Seventh  was  picked 
from  other  commands." 

"  I  understand.  You  say  first  in  the  regulars.  Does 
that  mean  you  saw  volunteer  service?" 

"  Three  years,  sir." 

"  Ah !  "  his  eyes  brightening  instantly.  '  Then  how 

20 


"  BRICK  "  HAMLIN 

does  it  happen  you  failed  to  try  for  a  commission 
after  the  war?  You  appear  to  be  intelligent,  edu 
cated?" 

The  Sergeant  smiled. 

"  Unfortunately  my  previous  service  had  been  per 
formed  in  the  wrong  uniform,  sir,"  he  said  quietly. 
"  I  was  in  a  Texas  regiment." 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  during  which  Travers 
smoked,  and  the  Major  seemed  to  hesitate.  Finally 
the  latter  asked: 

"  What  is  your  name,  Sergeant?  " 

"  Hamlin,  sir." 

The  pipe  came  out  of  Travers'  mouth,  and  he  half 
arose  to  his  feet. 

"By  all  the  gods!"  he  exclaimed.  "That's  it! 
Now  I  Ve  got  you  placed  —  you  're  —  you  're  '  Brick  ' 
Hamlin!" 

The  man  unconsciously  put  one  hand  to  his  hair,  his 
eyes  laughing. 

"  Some  of  the  boys  call  me  that  —  yes,"  he  confessed 
apologetically. 

Travers  was  on  his  feet  now,  gesticulating  with  his 
pipe. 

"  Damn !  I  knew  I  'd  seen  your  face  somewhere. 
It  was  two  years  ago  at  Washita.  Say,  Dan,  this  is 

21 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

smoke.     As  the   Major  concluded,   Hamlin  asked  a 
question  or  two  gravely. 

"  How  old  is  your  daughter,  sir?  " 

"  In  her  twentieth  year." 

"  Have  you  a  picture  of  the  young  lady?  " 

The  Major  crossed  over  to  his  fatigue  coat  hanging 
on  the  wall,  and  extracted  a  small  photograph  from 
an  inside  pocket. 

"  This  was  taken  a  year  ago,"  he  explained,  "  and 
was  considered  a  good  likeness  then." 

Hamlin  took  the  card  in  his  hands,  studied  the  face 
a  moment,  and  then  placed  it  upon  the  table. 

"  You  figure  she  ought  to  leave  Ripley  on  the  i8th," 
he  said  slowly.  "  Then  I  shall  need  to  start  at  once  to 
make  Dodge  in  time." 

'You  mean  to  go  then?  Of  course,  you  realize  I 
have  no  authority  to  order  you  on  such  private  service." 

"  That 's  true.  I  'm  a  volunteer,  but  I  '11  ask  you 
for  a  written  order  just  the  same  in  case  my  Troop 
commander  should  ever  object,  and  I  '11  need  a  fresh 
horse;  I  rode  mine  pretty  hard  coming  up  here." 

"  You  shall  have  the  pick  of  the  stables,  Sergeant," 
interjected  the  cavalry  captain,  knocking  the  ashes  from 
his  pipe.  "Anything  else?  Have  you  had  rest 
enough?" 

24 


"  BRICK  "  HAMLIN 

"  Four  hours,"  and  the  Sergeant  stood  up  again. 
"  All  I  require  will  be  two  days'  rations,  and  a  few 
more  revolver  cartridges.  The  sooner  I  'm  off  the  bet 
ter." 

If  he  heard  Travers'  attempt  at  conversation  as  the 
two  stumbled  together  down  the  dark  hill,  he  paid 
small  attention.  At  the  stables,  aided  by  a  smoky  lan 
tern,  he  picked  out  a  tough-looking  buckskin  mustang, 
with  an  evil  eye ;  and,  using  his  own  saddle  and  bridle, 
he  finally  led  the  half-broken  animal  outside. 

"  That  buckskin 's  the  devil's  own,"  protested 
Travers,  careful  to  keep  well  to  one  side. 

"  I  '11  take  it  out  of  him  before  morning,"  was  the 
reply.  "Come  on,  boy!  easy  now  —  easy!  How 
about  the  rations,  Captain?  " 

"  Carter  will  have  them  for  you  at  the  gate  of  the 
stockade.  Do  you  know  the  trail  ?  " 

"  Well  enough  to  follow  —  yes." 

McDonald  was  waiting  with  Carter,  and  the  dim 
gleam  of  the  lantern  revealed  his  face. 

"  Remember,  Sergeant,  you  are  to  make  her  turn 
back  if  you  can.  Tell  her  I  wish  her  to  do  so  —  yes, 
this  letter  will  explain  everything,  but  she  is  a  pretty 
high-spirited  girl,  and  may  take  the  bit  in  her  teeth  — 
imagine  she  'd  rather  be  here  with  me,  and  all  that. 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

If  she  does  I  suppose  you  '11  have  to  let  her  have  her 
own  way  —  the  Lord  knows  her  mother  always  did. 
Anyhow  you  '11  stay  with  her  till  she  's  safe." 

"  I  sure  will,"  returned  the  Sergeant,  gathering  up 
his  reins.  "  Good-bye  to  you." 

"  Good-bye  and  good  luck,"  and  McDonald  put  out 
his  hand,  which  the  other  took  hesitatingly.  The  next 
instant  he  was  in  the  saddle,  and  with  a  wild  leap  the 
startled  mustang  rounded  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  flying 
into  the  night. 

All  had  occurred  so  quickly  that  Hamlin's  mind  had 
not  yet  fully  adjusted  itself  to  all  the  details.  He  was 
naturally  a  man  of  few  words,  deciding  on  a  course 
of  action  quietly,  yet  not  apt  to  deviate  from  any  con 
clusion  finally  reached.  But  he  had  been  hurried, 
pressed  into  this  adventure,  and  now  welcomed  an  op 
portunity  to  think  it  all  out  coolly.  At  first,  for  a  half 
mile  or  more,  the  plunging  buckskin  kept  him  busy, 
bucking  viciously,  rearing,  leaping  madly  from  side  to 
side,  practising  every  known  equine  trick  to  dislodge 
the  grim  rider  in  the  saddle.  The  man  fought  out 
the  battle  silently,  immovable  as  a  rock,  and  apparently 
as  indifferent.  Twice  his  spurs  brought  blood,  and 
once  he  struck  the  rearing  head  with  clenched  fist.  The 
light  of  the  stars  revealed  the  faint  lines  of  the  trail, 

26 


"BRICK"  HAMLIN 

and  he  was  content  to  permit  the  maddened  brute  to 
race  forward,  until,  finally  mastered,  the  animal  set 
tled  down  into  a  swift  gallop,  but  with  ears  laid  back 
in  ugly  defiance.  The  rider's  gray  eyes  smiled  pleas 
antly  as  he  settled  more  comfortably  into  the  saddle, 
peering  out  from  beneath  the  stiff  brim  of  his  scouting 
hat;  then  they  hardened,  and  the  man  swore  softly 
under  his  breath. 

The  peculiar  nature  of  this  mission  which  he  had 
taken  upon  himself  had  been  recalled.  He  was  al 
ways  doing  something  like  that  —  permitting  himself 
to  become  involved  in  the  affairs  of  others.  Now 
why  should  he  be  here,  riding  alone  through  the  dark 
to  prevent  this  unknown  girl  from  reaching  Devere? 
She  was  nothing  to  him  —  even  that  glimpse  of  her 
pictured  face  had  not  impressed  him  greatly;  rather  in 
teresting,  to  be  sure,  but  nothing  extraordinary;  be 
sides  he  was  not  a  woman's  man,  and,  through  years 
of  isolation,  had  grown  to  avoid  contact  with  the  sex 
—  and  he  was  under  no  possible  obligation  to  either 
McDonald  or  Travers.  Yet  here  he  was,  fully  com 
mitted,  drawn  into  the  vortex,  by  a  hasty  ill-considered 
decision.  He  was  tired  still  from  his  swift  journey 
across  the  desert  from  Fort  Union,  and  now  faced  an 
other  three  days'  ride.  Then  what?  A  headstrong 

27 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

girl  to  be  convinced  of  danger,  and  controlled.  The 
longer  he  thought  about  it  all,  the  more  intensely  dis 
agreeable  the  task  appeared,  yet  the  clearer  did  he 
appreciate  its  necessity.  He  chafed  at  the  knowledge 
that  it  had  become  his  work  —  that  he  had  permitted 
himself  to  be  ensnared  —  yet  he  dug  his  spurs  into  the 
mustang  and  rode  steadily,  grimly,  forward. 

The  real  truth  was  that  Hamlin  comprehended  much 
more  fully  than  did  the  men  at  Devere  the  danger 
menacing  travellers  along  the  main  trail  to  Santa  Fe. 
News  reached  Fort  Union  much  quicker  than  it  did 
that  isolated  post  up  on  the  Cimarron.  He  knew  of 
the  fight  in  Raton  Pass,  and  that  two  stages  within  ten 
days  had  been  attacked,  one  several  miles  east  of  Bent's 
Fort.  This  must  mean  that  a  desperate  party  of 
raiders  had  succeeded  in  slipping  past  those  scattered 
army  details  scouting  into  the  Northwest.  Whether  or 
not  these  warriors  were  in  any  considerable  force  he 
could  not  determine  —  the  reports  of  their  depreda 
tions  were  but  rumors  at  Union  when  he  left  —  yet, 
whether  in  large  body  or  small,  they  would  have  a  clear 
run  in  the  Arkansas  Valley  before  any  troops  could  be 
gathered  together  to  drive  them  out.  Perhaps  even 
now,  the  stages  had  been  withdrawn,  communication 
with  Santa  Fe  abandoned.  This  had  been  spoken  of 

28 


"  BRICK  "  HAMLIN 

as  possible  at  Union  the  night  he  left,  for  it  was  well 
known  there  that  there  was  no  cavalry  force  left  at 
Dodge  which  could  be  utilized  as  guards.  The  wide 
map  of  the  surrounding  region  spread  out  before  him 
in  memory;  he  felt  its  brooding  desolation,  its  awful 
loneliness.  Nevertheless  he  must  go  on  —  perhaps  at 
the  stage  station  near  the  ford  of  the  Arkansas  he 
could  learn  the  truth.  So  he  bent  lower  over  the  buck 
skin's  neck  and  rode  straight  through  the  black,  silent 
night. 

It  was  a  waterless  desert  stretching  between  the 
Cimarron  and  the  Arkansas,  consisting  of  almost  a  dead 
level  of  alkali  and  sand,  although  toward  the  northern 
extremity  the  sand  had  been  driven  by  the  ceaseless 
wind  into  grotesque  hummocks.  The  trail,  cut  deep 
by  traders'  wagons  earlier  in  the  spring,  was  still  easily 
traceable  for  a  greater  part  of  the  distance,  and  Hamlin 
as  yet  felt  no  need  of  caution  —  this  was  a  country  the 
Indians  would  avoid,  the  only  danger  being  from  some 
raiding  party  from  the  south.  At  early  dawn  he  came 
trotting  down  into  the  Arkansas  Valley,  and  gazed 
across  at  the  greenness  of  the  opposite  bank.  There, 
plainly  in  view,  were  the  deep  ruts  of  the  main  trail 
running  close  in  against  the  bluff.  His  tired  eyes 
caught  no  symbol  of  life  either  up  or  down  the  stream, 

29 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

except  a  thin  spiral  of  blue  smoke  that  slowly  wound 
its  way  upward.  An  instant  he  stared,  believing  it  to 
be  the  fire  of  some  emigrant's  camp ;  then  realized  that 
he  looked  upon  the  smouldering  debris  of  the  stage 
station. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   NEWS   AT   RIPLEY 

MISS  MOLLY  McDONALD  had  departed  for 
the  West  —  carefully  treasuring  her  father's 
detailed  letter  of  instruction  —  filled  with  interest  and 
enthusiasm.  She  was  an  army  girl,  full  of  confidence 
in  herself  and  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  an  unusual 
summer.  Moreover,  her  natural  spirit  of  adventure 
had  been  considerably  stimulated  by  the  envious  com 
ments  of  her  schoolmates,  who  apparently  believed  her 
wondrously  daring  to  venture  such  a  trip,  the  apprehen 
sive  advice  of  her  teachers,  and  much  reading,  not  very 
judiciously  chosen,  relative  to  pioneer  life  on  the  plains. 
The  possible  hardships  of  the  long  journey  alone  did 
not  appall  her  in  the  least.  She  had  made  similar 
trips  before  and  had  always  found  pleasant  and  atten 
tive  companionship.  Being  a  wholesome,  pleasant- 
faced  girl,  with  eyes  decidedly  beautiful,  and  an  attrac 
tive  personality,  the  making  of  new  friendships  was 
never  difficult.  Of  course  the  stage  ride  would  be  an 
entirely  fresh  and  precarious  experience,  but  then  her 

31 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

father  would  doubtless  meet  her  before  that,  or  send 
some  officer  to  act  as  escort.  Altogether  the  prospect 
appeared  most  delightful  and  alluring. 

The  illness  of  the  principal  of  Sunnycrest  had  re 
sulted  in  the  closing  of  the  school  some  few  days 
earlier  than  had  been  anticipated,  and  it  was  so  lonely 
there  after  the  others  had  departed  that  Miss  Molly 
hastened  her  packing  and  promptly  joined  the  exodus. 
Why  not?  She  could  wait  the  proper  date  at  Kansas 
City  or  Fort  Ripley  just  as  well,  enjoying  herself  mean 
while  amid  a  new  environment,  and  no  doubt  she  would 
encounter  some  of  her  father's  army  friends  who  would 
help  entertain  her  pleasantly.  Miss  McDonald  was 
somewhat  impulsive,  and,  her  interest  once  aroused, 
impatient  of  restraint. 

As  a  result  of  this  earlier  departure  she  reached 
Ripley  some  two  days  in  advance  of  the  prearranged 
schedule,  and  in  spite  of  her  young  strength  and  en 
thusiasm,  most  thoroughly  tired  out  by  the  strain  of 
continuous  travel.  Her  one  remaining  desire  upon 
arrival  was  for  a  bed,  and  actuated  by  this  necessity, 
when  she  learned  that  the  army  post  was  fully  two  miles 
from  the  town,  she  accepted  proffered  guidance  to  the 
famous  Gilsey  House  and  promptly  fell  asleep.  The 
light  of  a  new  day  gave  her  a  first  real  glimpse  of  the 

32 


THE  NEWS  AT  RIPLEY 

surrounding  dreariness  as  she  stood  looking  out  through 
the  grimy  glass  of  her  single  window,  depressed  and 
heartsick.  The  low,  rolling  hills,  bare  and  desolate, 
stretched  to  the  horizon,  the  grass  already  burned 
brown  by  the  sun.  The  town  itself  consisted  of  but 
one  short,  crooked  street,  flanked  by  rough,  ramshackle 
frame  structures,  two-thirds  of  these  apparently 
saloons,  with  dirty,  flapping  tents  sandwiched  between, 
and  huge  piles  of  tin  cans  and  other  rubbish  stored 
away  behind.  The  street  was  rutted  and  dusty,  and 
the  ceaseless  wind  swirled  the  dirt  about  in  continuous, 
suffocating  clouds.  The  hotel  itself,  a  little,  squatty, 
two-storied  affair,  groaned  to  the  blast,  threatening  to 
collapse.  Nothing  moved  except  a  wagon  down  the 
long  ribbon  of  road,  and  a  dog  digging  for  a  bone  be 
hind  a  near-by  tent.  It  was  so  squalid  and  ugly  she 
turned  away  in  speechless  disgust. 

The  interior,  however,  offered  even  smaller  comfort. 
A  rude  bedstead,  one  leg  considerably  short  and 
propped  up  by  a  half  brick,  stood  against  the  board 
wall;  a  single  wooden  chair  was  opposite,  and  a  fly- 
specked  mirror  hung  over  a  tin  basin  and  pitcher.  The 
floor  sagged  fearfully  and  the  side  walls  lacked  several 
inches  of  reaching  the  ceiling.  Even  in  the  dim  candle 
light  of  the  evening  before,  the  bed  coverings  had 

3  33 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

looked  so  forbidding  that  Molly  had  compromised, 
lying  down,  half-dressed  on  the  outside;  now,  in  the 
garish  glare  of  returning  day  they  appeared  positively 
filthy.  And  this  was  the  best  to  be  had;  she  realized 
that,  her  courage  failing  at  the  thought  of  remaining 
alone  amid  such  surroundings.  As  she  washed,  using 
a  towel  of  her  own  after  a  single  glance  at  the  hotel 
article,  and  did  up  her  rebellious  hair,  she  came  to  a 
prompt  decision.  She  would  go  directly  on  —  would 
take  the  first  stage.  Perhaps  her  father,  or  whomever 
he  sent,  would  be  met  with  along  the  route.  The 
coaches  had  regular  meeting  stations,  so  there  was 
small  danger  of  their  missing  each  other.  Even  if  she 
was  compelled  to  wait  over  at  Fort  Dodge,  the  en 
vironment  there  could  certainly  be  no  more  disagree 
able  than  this. 

The  question  of  possible  danger  was  dismissed  al 
most  without  serious  thought.  She  had  seen  no  papers 
since  leaving  St.  Louis,  and  the  news  before  that  con 
tained  nothing  more  definite  than  rumors  of  uneasiness 
among  the  Plains  Indians.  Army  officers  interviewed 
rather  made  light  of  the  affair,  as  being  merely  the 
regular  outbreak  of  young  warriors,  easily  suppressed. 
On  the  train  she  had  met  with  no  one  who  treated  the 
situation  as  really  serious,  and,  if  it  was,  then  surely  her 

34 


THE  NEWS  AT  RIPLEY 

father  would  send  some  message  of  restraint.  Satis 
fied  upon  this  point,  and  fully  determined  upon  depart 
ing  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  she  ventured  down  the 
narrow,  creaking  stairs  in  search  of  breakfast. 

The  dining-room  was  discovered  at  the  foot  of  the 
steps,  a  square  box  of  a  place,  the  two  narrow  windows 
looking  forth  on  the  desolate  prairie.  There  were 
three  long  tables,  but  only  one  was  in  use,  and,  with 
no  waiter  to  guide  her,  the  girl  advanced  hesitatingly 
and  took  a  seat  opposite  the  two  men  already  present. 
They  glanced  up,  curiously  interested,  staring  at  her  a 
moment,  and  then  resumed  their  interrupted  meal. 
Miss  McDonald's  critical  eyes  surveyed  the  unsavory- 
looking  food,  her  lips  slightly  curving,  and  then 
glanced  inquiringly  toward  the  men.  The  one  directly 
opposite  was  large  and  burly,  with  iron-gray  hair  and 
beard,  about  sixty  years  of  age,  but  with  red  cheeks 
and  bright  eyes,  and  a  face  expressive  of  hearty  good 
nature.  His  clothing  was  roughly  serviceable,  but  he 
looked  clean  and  wholesome.  The  other  was  an  army 
lieutenant,  but  Molly  promptly  quelched  her  first  in 
clination  to  address  him,  as  she  noted  his  red,  inflamed 
face  and  dissipated  appearance.  As  she  nibbled,  half 
heartedly,  at  the  miserable  food  brought  by  a  slovenly 
waiter,  the  two  men  exchanged  barely  a  dozen  words, 

35 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

the  lieutenant  growling  out  monosyllabic  answers, 
finally  pushing  back  his  chair,  and  striding  out.  Again 
the  girl  glanced  across  at  the  older  man,  mustering 
courage  to  address  him.  At  the  same  moment  he 
looked  up,  with  eyes  full  of  good  humor  and  kindly 
interest. 

"  Looks  rather  tough,  I  reckon,  miss,"  waving  a  big 
hand  over  the  table.  "  But  you  '11  have  ter  git  used 
to  it  in  this  kentry." 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  believe  I  ever  could,"  disconsolately. 
"  I  can  scarcely  choke  down  a  mouthful." 

"  So  I  was  noticin' ;  from  the  East,  I  reckon  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  —  I  came  last  night,  and  —  and  really  I 
am  afraid  I  am  actually  homesick  already.  It  —  it  is 
even  more  —  more  primitive  than  I  supposed.  Do  — 
do  you  live  here  —  at  Ripley?" 

"  Good  Lord,  no !  "  heartily,  "  though  I  reckon  yer 
might  not  think  my  home  wuz  much  better.  I  'm  the 
post-trader  down  at  Fort  Marcy,  jist  out  o'  Santa  Fe. 
I  '11  be  blame  glad  ter  git  back  thar  too,  I  'm  a  tellin' 
yer." 

"That  —  that  is  what  I  wished  to  ask  you  about," 
she  stammered.  '  The  Santa  Fe  stage ;  when  does  it 
leave  here  ?  and  —  and  where  do  I  arrange  for  pas 
sage?" 

36 


THE  NEWS  AT  RIPLEY 

He  dropped  knife  and  fork,  staring  at  her  across 
the  table. 

"  Good  Lord,  miss,"  he  exclaimed  swiftly.  "  Do 
yer  mean  to  say  ye  're  goin'  to  make  that  trip  alone?  " 

"  Oh,  not  to  Santa  Fe;  only  as  far  as  the  stage  sta 
tion  at  the  Arkansas  crossing,"  she  exclaimed  hastily. 
"  I  am  going  to  join  my  father;  he  —  he  commands  a 
post  on  the  Cimarron  —  Major  McDonald." 

"  Well,  I  '11  be  damned,"  said  the  man  slowly,  so 
surprised  that  he  forgot  himself.  "  Babes  in  the 
wilderness;  what,  in  Heaven's  name,  ever  induced  yer 
dad  to  let  yer  come  on  such  a  fool  trip  ?  Is  n't  thar 
no  one  to  meet  yer  here,  or  at  Dodge?" 

"I  —  I  don't  know,"  she  confessed.  "  Father  was 
going  to  come,  or  else  send  one  of  his  officers,  but  I 
have  seen  no  one.  I  am  here  two  days  earlier  than 
was  expected,  and  —  and  I  have  n't  heard  from  my  fa 
ther  since  last  month.  See,  this  is  his  last  letter ;  won't 
you  read  it,  please,  and  tell  me  what  I  ought  to  do?  " 

The  man  took  the  letter,  and  read  the  three  pages 
carefully,  and  then  turned  back  to  note  the  date,  be 
fore  handing  the  sheets  across  the  table. 

"  The  Major  sure  made  his  instructions  plain 
enough,"  he  said  slowly.  "  And  yer  have  n't  heard 
from  him  since,  or  seen  any  one  he  sent  to  meet  yer  ?  " 

37 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

The  girl  shook  her  head  slowly. 

"  Well,  that  ain't  to  be  wondered  at,  either,"  he 
went  on.  "  Things  has  changed  some  out  yere  since 
that  letter  was  wrote.  I  reckon  yer  know  we  're  havin' 
a  bit  o'  Injun  trouble,  an'  yer  dad  is  shore  to  be  pretty 
busy  out  thar  on  the  Cimarron." 

"I  —  I  do  not  think  I  do.  I  have  seen  no  papers 
since  leaving  St.  Louis.  Is  the  situation  really  serious? 
Is  it  unsafe  for  me  to  go  farther?  " 

The  man  rubbed  his  chin,  as  though  undecided  what 
was  best  to  say.  But  the  girl's  face  was  full  of  char 
acter,  and  he  answered  frankly. 

"  It 's  serious  'nough,  I  reckon,  an'  I  certainly  wish 
I  wus  safe  through  to  Fort  Marcy,  but  I  don't  know 
no  reason  now  why  you  could  n't  finish  up  your  trip  all 
right.  I  wus  out  to  the  fort  last  evenin'  gettin'  the 
latest  news,  an'  thar  has  n't  been  no  trouble  to  speak 
of  east  of  old  Bent's  Fort.  Between  thar  and  Union, 
thar 's  a  bunch  o'  Mescalo  Apaches  raisin'  thunder. 
One  lot  got  as  far  as  the  Caches,  an'  burned  a  wagon 
train,  but  were  run  back  into  the  mount'ns.  Troops 
are  out  along  both  sides  the  Valley,  an'  thar  ain't 
been  no  stage  held  up,  nor  station  attacked  along  the 
Arkansas.  I  reckon  yer  pa  '11  have  an  escort  waitin' 
at  the  crossin'  ?  " 

38 


THE  NEWS  AT  RIPLEY 

"Of  course  he  will;  what  I  am  most  afraid  of  is 
that  I  might  miss  him  or  his  messenger  on  the 
route." 

"  Not  likely;  there's  only  two  stages  a  week  each 
way,  an'  they  have  regular  meeting  points." 

She  sat  quiet,  eyes  lowered  to  the  table,  thinking. 
She  liked  the  man,  and  trusted  him;  he  seemed  kindly 
deferential.  Finally  she  looked  up. 

"  When  do  you  go?  " 

'  To-day.  I  was  goin'  to  wait  'bout  yere  a  week 
longer,  but  am  gitting  skeered  they  might  quit  runnin' 
their  coaches.  To  tell  the  truth,  miss,  it  looks  some 
to  me  like  thar  wus  a  big  Injun  war  comin',  and  I  'd 
like  ter  git  home  whar  I  belong  afore  it  breaks  loose." 

"  Will  —  will  you  take  me  with  you?  " 

He  moistened  his  lips,  his  hands  clasping  and  un 
clasping  on  the  table. 

"  Sure,  if  yer  bound  ter  go.  I  '11  do  the  best  I  kin 
fer  yer,  an'  I  reckon  ther  sooner  yer  start  the  better 
chance  ye  '11  have  o'  gittin'  through  safe."  He 
hesitated.  "  If  we  should  git  bad  news  at  Dodge,  is 
there  anybody  thar,  at  the  fort,  you  could  stop  with  ?  " 

"  Colonel  Carver." 

"  He  's  not  thar  now;  been  transferred  to  Wallace, 
but,  I  reckon,  any  o'  those  army  people  would  look 

39 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

after  yer.     Ye  Ve  really  made  up  yer  mind  to  try  it, 
then?" 

4  Yes,  yes ;  I  positively  cannot  stay  here.  I  shall 
go  as  far  as  Dodge  at  least.  If  —  if  we  are  going  to 
travel  together,  I  ought  to  know  your  name." 

"  Sure  yer  had,"  with  a  laugh.  "  I  fergot  all  'bout 
that  —  it's  Moylan,  miss;  William  Moylan;  'Sutler 
Bill '  they  call  me  mostly,  west  o'  the  river.  Let 's  go 
out  an'  see  'bout  thet  stage." 

As  he  rounded  the  table,  Molly  rose  to  her  feet,  and 
held  out  her  hand. 

"  I  am  so  glad  I  spoke  to  you,  Mr.  Moylan,"  she 
said  simply.  "  I  am  not  at  all  afraid  now.  If  you 
will  wait  until  I  get  my  hat,  I  '11  be  down  in  a  minute." 

"  Sutler  Bill  "  stood  in  the  narrow  hall  watching 
her  run  swiftly  upstairs,  twirling  his  hat  in  his  hands, 
his  good-natured  face  flushed.  Once  he  glanced  in  the 
direction  of  the  bar-room,  wiping  his  lips  with  his  cuff, 
and  his  feet  shuffled.  But  he  resisted  the  temptation, 
and  was  still  there  when  Miss  McDonald  came  down. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  ATTACK 

LIGHTLY  more  than  sixty  miles,  as  the  route  ran, 
stretched  between  old  Fort  Dodge  and  the  ford 
crossing  the  Arkansas  leading  down  to  the  Cimarron; 
another  sixty  miles  distant,  across  a  desert  of  alkali  and 
sand,  lay  Devere.  The  main  Santa  Fe  trail,  broad  and 
deeply  rutted  by  the  innumerable  wheels  of  early  spring 
caravans,  followed  the  general  course  of  the  river,  oc 
casionally  touching  the  higher  level  plains,  but  mostly 
keeping  close  beneath  the  protection  of  the  northern 
bluffs,  or  else  skirting  the  edge  of  the  water.  Night 
or  day  the  route  was  easily  followed,  and,  in  other 
years,  the  traveller  was  seldom  for  long  out  of  sight  of 
toiling  wagons.  Now  scarcely  a  wheel  turned  in  all 
that  lonely  distance. 

The  west-bound  stage  left  the  station  at  Deer  Creek 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  with  no  intimation  of 
danger  ahead.  Its  occupants  had  eaten  dinner  in  com 
pany  with  those  of  the  east-bound  coach,  eighteen  miles 
down  the  river  at  Canon  Bluff,  and  the  in-coming 

41 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

driver  had  reported  an  open  road,  and  no  unusual 
trouble.  No  Indian  signs  had  been  observed,  not  even 
signal  fires  during  the  night,  and  the  conductor,  who 
had  come  straight  from  Santa  Fe,  reported  that  troops 
from  Fort  Union  had  driven  the  only  known  bunch 
of  raiders  back  from  the  neighborhood  of  the  trail, 
and  had  them  already  safely  corralled  in  the  mountains. 
This  report,  seemingly  authentic  and  official,  served  to 
relax  the  nerves,  and  the  west-bound  driver  sang  to  him 
self  as  he  guided  the  four  horses  forward,  while  the 
conductor,  a  sawed-off  gun  planted  between  his  knees, 
nodded  drowsily.  Inside  there  were  but  three  pas 
sengers,  jerking  back  and  forth,  as  the  wheels  struck  the 
deep  ruts  of  the  trail,  occasionally  exchanging  a  word 
or  two,  but  usually  staring  gloomily  forth  at  the  mo 
notonous  scene.  Miss  McDonald  and  Moylan  occu 
pied  the  back  seat,  some  baggage  wedged  tightly  be 
tween  to  keep  them  more  secure  on  the  slippery  cushion, 
while  facing  them,  and  clinging  to  his  support  with 
both  hands,  was  a  pock-marked  Mexican,  with  rather 
villainous  face  and  ornate  dress,  and  excessively  polite 
manners.  He  had  joined  the  little  party  at  Dodge, 
smiling  happily  at  sight  of  Miss  Molly's  face  when  she 
unveiled,  although  his  small  knowledge  of  English  pre 
vented  any  extended  effort  at  conversation.  Moylan, 

42 


THE  ATTACK 

however,  after  careful  scrutiny,  engaged  him  shortly  in 
Spanish,  and  later  explained  to  the  girl,  in  low  tones, 
that  the  man  was  a  Santa  Fe  gambler  known  as  Gonza- 
les,  with  a  reputation  to  be  hinted  at  but  not  openly 
discussed. 

They  were  some  six  miles  to  the  west  of  Deer  Creek, 
the  horses  still  moving  with  spirit,  the  driver's  foot  on 
the  brake,  when  the  stage  took  a  sudden  plunge  down  a 
sloping  bank  where  the  valley  perceptibly  narrowed. 
To  the  left,  beyond  a  flat  expanse  of  brown,  sun- 
scorched  grass,  flowed  the  widely-spreading  waters  of 
the  Arkansas,  barely  covering  the  treacherous  sandy 
bottom,  and  from  the  other  side  came  the  more  distant 
gleam  of  alkali  plains;  to  the  right  arose  the  bluffs, 
here  both  steep  and  rugged,  completely  shutting  off 
the  view,  barren  of  vegetation  except  for  a  few  scat 
tered  patches  of  grass.  Suddenly  a  man  rode  out  of 
a  rift  in  the  bank,  directly  in  front,  and  held  up  his 
hand.  Surprised,  startled,  the  driver  instantaneously 
clamped  on  his  brake,  and  brought  his  horses  to  a 
quick  stop;  the  conductor,  nearly  flung  from  his  seat, 
yanked  his  gun  forward. 

"  None  of  that  now,"  called  out  the  man  in  saddle 
quickly,  both  hands  uplifted  to  show  their  emptiness. 
'  This  is  no  hold-up.     I  Ve  got  news." 

43 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

He  spurred  his  pony  forward  slowly,  the  animal 
seemingly  barely  able  to  move,  and  swung  out  of  the 
saddle  beside  the  front  wheel,  staggering  a  bit  as  though 
his  limbs  were  cramped  as  his  feet  felt  the  ground. 

"  I  'm  from  Fort  Union,"  he  said,  "  Seventh 
Cavalry,  sent  through  by  way  of  Cimarron  Springs. 
There  is  hell  to  pay  west  of  here;  the  stations  at  Ar 
kansas  Crossing  and  Low  Water  were  burned  last 
night." 

'  The  devil  you  say,"  burst  out  the  driver  hoarsely, 
his  startled  eyes  sweeping  the  horizon.  "Injuns?" 

"  Sure,  plenty  of  signs,  but  I  have  n't  seen  any  bucks 
myself.  As  soon  as  I  discovered  what  had  happened 
at  the  Crossing  I  struck  out  on  to  the  plateau,  and  came 
around  that  way  to  warn  those  fellows  at  Low  Water. 
But  when  I  got  sight  of  that  station  from  off  the 
bluffs  yonder  it  had  been  wiped  out.  Then  I  thought 
about  this  stage  going  west  to-day,  and  came  on  to  meet 
you.  Must  have  ridden  a  hundred  an'  twenty  miles 
since  yesterday;  the  mustang  is  all  In." 

Moylan  stuck  his  head  out  the  nearest  window. 

"  Look  like  they  had  much  of  a  fight  at  the  Cross 
ing?  "  he  asked. 

"Not  much;  more  like  a  night  raid;  two  whites 
killed,  and  scalped.  The  third  man  either  was  taken 

44 


THE  ATTACK 

away,  or  his  body  got  burnt  in  the  building.  Horses 
all  gone." 

"What  tribe?" 

"  Arapahoes,  from  the  way  they  scalped;  that 's  what 
made  it  so  serious  —  if  those  Northern  Indians  have 
broken  loose  there  is  going  to  be  war  this  time  for 
sure." 

The  men  on  the  box  looked  at  each  other  question- 
ingly. 

"  I  don't  see  no  use  tryin'  to  go  on,  Jake,  do  you?  " 
asked  the  driver  soberly.  "  Even  if  we  do  git  through, 
thar  ain't  no  bosses  to  be  had." 

The  other  shook  his  head,  rubbing  his  gun-stock. 

"  Most  likely  those  same  red  devils  are  layin'  for  us 
now  somewhar  between  yere  an'  Low  Water ;  whar  the 
trail  runs  in  between  them  two  big  rocks,  most  prob 
able,"  he  concluded.  "  Not  havin'  no  ha'r  to  lose,  I  'm 
fer  goin'  back." 

With  an  oath  of  relief,  the  driver  released  his  brake, 
and  skilfully  swung  the  leaders  around,  the  coach 
groaning  as  it  took  the  sharp  turn.  The  man  on  the 
ground  caught  a  swiftly  passing  glimpse  of  the  young 
woman's  face  within,  and  strode  hurriedly  forward  as 
the  coach  started. 

"  Hold  on  there,  pardner,"  he  commanded  sternly. 

45 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  This  poor  bronc'  won't  travel  another  mile.  There  's 
plenty  of  room  for  me  inside,  and  I  '11  turn  the  tired 
devil  loose.  Hold  on,  I  say !  " 

The  driver  once  again  slapped  on  the  brake,  growl 
ing  and  reluctant,  his  anxious  eyes  searching  the  trail 
in  both  directions.  Hamlin  quietly  uncinched  his  sad 
dle,  flinging  it  to  the  coach  roof;  the  bridle  followed, 
and  then,  with  a  slap  on  the  haunch  of  the  released 
animal,  he  strode  to  the  stage  door,  thrust  his  Henry 
rifle  within,  and  took  the  vacant  seat  beside  Gonzales. 
With  a  sudden  crack  of  the  driver's  whip  the  four 
horses  leaped  forward,  and  the  coach  careened  on  the 
slope  of  the  trail,  causing  the  passengers  to  clutch  wildly 
to  keep  from  being  precipitated  into  a  mass  on  the 
floor.  As  the  traces  straightened,  Miss  Molly,  cling 
ing  desperately  to  a  strap,  caught  her  first  fair  glance 
at  the  newcomer.  His  hat  was  tilted  back,  the  light 
revealing  lines  of  weariness  and  a  coating  of  the  gray, 
powdery  dust  of  the  alkali  desert,  but  beneath  it  ap 
peared  the  brown,  sun-scorched  skin,  while  the  gray 
eyes  looking  straight  at  her,  were  resolute  and  smiling. 
His  rough  shirt,  open  at  the  throat,  might  have  been 
the  product  of  any  sutler's  counter;  he  wore  no  jacket, 
and  the  broad  yellow  stripe  down  the  leg  of  the  faded 
blue  trousers  alone  proclaimed  him  a  soldier.  He 

46 


THE  ATTACK 

smiled  across  at  her,  and  she  lowered  her  eyes,  while 
his  glance  wandered  on  toward  the  others. 

"  Don't  seem  to  be  very  crowded  to-day,"  he  began, 
genially  addressing  Moylan.  "  Not  an  extremely 
popular  route  at  present,  I  reckon.  Mining,  pard- 
ner?" 

"  No;  post-trader  at  Fort  Marcy." 

"  Oh,  that 's  it,"  his  eyebrows  lifting  slightly. 
'  This  Indian  business  is  a  bad  job  for  you  then."  His 
eyes  fell  on  his  seatmate.  "  Well,  if  this  is  n't  little 
Gonzales!  —  You  Ve  got  a  good  ways  from  home." 

"  Si,  senor!  "  returned  the  Mexican  brokenly.  "  I 
tink  I  not  remem." 

"  No,  I  reckon  not.  I  'm  not  one  of  your  class ; 
cards  and  I  never  did  agree.  I  shut  up  your  game 
once  down  at  Union;  night  Hassinger  was  killed. 
Remember  now,  don't  you?  " 

"Si,  senor,''  spreading  his  hands.  "It  was  mos' 
unfortunate." 

"  Would  have  been  more  so,  if  the  boys  had  got 
hold  of  you  —  Saint  Anne !  but  that  fellow  on  the  box 
is  driving  some." 

The  thud  of  the  horses'  feet  under  the  lash,  coupled 
with  the  reckless  lurching  of  the  coach,  ended  all  fur 
ther  attempt  at  conversation,  and  the  four  passengers 

47 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

held  on  grimly,  and  stared  out  of  the  windows,  as  if 
expecting  every  instant  that  some  accident  would  hurl 
them  headlong.  The  frightened  driver  was  appar 
ently  sparing  neither  whip  nor  tongue,  the  galloping 
teams  jerking  the  stage  after  them  in  a  mad  race  up  the 
trail.  Hamlin  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  nearest  win 
dow,  but  a  sudden  lurch  hurled  him  back,  the  coach 
taking  a  sharp  curve  on  two  wheels,  and  coming  down 
level  once  again  with  a  bump  which  brought  the  whole 
four  together.  The  little  Mexican  started  to  scream 
out  a  Spanish  oath,  but  Hamlin  gripped  his  throat  be 
fore  it  was  half  uttered,  while  Moylan  pressed  the  girl 
back  into  her  seat,  bracing  himself  to  hold  her  firm. 

11  What  the  devil  — "  he  began  angrily,  and  then 
the  careening  coach  stopped  as  suddenly  as  though  it 
had  struck  the  bank,  again  tearing  loose  their  hand 
hold  on  the  seats  and  flinging  them  headlong.  They 
heard  the  creaking  clamp  of  the  brakes,  the  dancing 
of  frightened  horses,  a  perfect  volley  of  oaths,  the 
crunch  of  feet  as  men  leaped  from  the  top  to  the 
ground;  then,  all  at  once,  the  stage  lurched  forward, 
swerving  sharply  to  the  left,  and  struck  out  across  the 
flat  directly  toward  the  bluff. 

Hamlin  struggled  to  the  nearest  window,  and, 
grasping  the  sill  to  hold  himself  upright,  leaned  out. 

48 


THE  ATTACK 

He  caught  a  momentary  glimpse  of  two  men  riding 
swiftly  up  the  trail;  the  box  above  was  empty,  the 
wheelers  alone  remained  in  harness,  and  they  were 
running  uncontrolled. 

"By  God!"  he  muttered.  "Those  two  damn 
cowards  have  cut  loose  and  left  us !  " 

Even  as  the  unrestrained  words  leaped  from  his  lips, 
he  realized  the  only  hope  —  the  reins  still  dangled, 
caught  securely  in  the  brake  lever.  Inch  by  inch,  foot 
by  foot,  he  wiggled  out;  Moylan,  comprehending, 
caught  his  legs,  holding  him  steady  against  the  mad 
pitching.  His  fingers  gripped  the  iron  top  rail,  and, 
exerting  all  his  strength,  he  slowly  pulled  his  body  up, 
until  lie  fell  forward  into  the  driver's  seat.  Swift  as 
he  had  been,  the  action  was  not  quickly  enough  con 
ceived  to  avert  disaster.  He  had  the  reins  in  his  grip 
when  the  swinging  pole  struck  the  steep  side  of  the 
bluff,  snapping  off  with  a  sharp  crack,  and  flinging 
down  the  frightened  animals,  the  wheels  crashing 
against  them,  as  the  coach  came  to  a  sudden  halt. 
Hamlin  hung  on  grimly,  flung  forward  to  the  foot- 
rail  by  the  force  of  the  shock,  his  body  bruised  and 
aching.  One  horse  lay  motionless,  head  under,  ap 
parently  instantly  k^led;  his  mate  struggled  to  his 
feet,  tore  frantically  loose  from  the  traces,  and  went 

49 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

flying  madly  down  the  slope,  the  broken  harness  dan 
gling  at  its  heels.  The  Sergeant  sat  up  and  stared 
about,  sweeping  the  blood  from  a  slight  gash  out  of 
his  eyes.  Then  he  came  to  himself  with  a  gasp  —  un 
derstanding  instantly  what  it  all  meant,  why  those  men 
had  cut  loose  the  horses  and  ridden  away,  why  the 
wheelers  had  plunged  forward  in  that  mad  run-away 
race  —  between  the  bluffs  and  the  river  a  swarm  of 
Indians  were  lashing  their  ponies,  spreading  out  like 
the  sticks  of  a  fan. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  DEFENCE   OF   THE   STAGE 

THERE  were  times  when  Hamlin's  mental  proc 
esses  seemed  slow,  almost  sluggish,  but  this  was 
never  true  in  moments  of  emergency  and  peril.  Then 
he  became  swift,  impetuous,  seemingly  borne  forward 
by  some  inspiring  instinct.  It  was  for  such  experiences 
as  this  that  he  remained  in  the  service  —  his  whole 
nature  responding  almost  joyously  to  the  bugle-call  of 
action,  of  imminent  danger,  his  nerves  steadying  into 
rock.  These  were  the  characteristics  which  had  won 
him  his  chevrons  in  the  unrewarded  service  of  the 
frontier,  and,  when  scarcely  more  than  a  boy,  had  put 
a  captain's  bars  on  the  gray  collar  of  his  Confederate 
uniform. 

Now,  as  he  struggled  to  his  knees,  gripping  the  iron 
foot-rail  with  one  hand,  a  single  glance  gave  him  a 
distinct  impression  of  their  desperate  situation.  With 
that  knowledge,  there  likewise  flashed  over  his  mind 
the  only  possible  means  of  defence.  The  Indians,  num 
bering  at  least  thirty,  had  ridden  recklessly  out  from 

51 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

under  the  protection  of  the  river  bank,  spreading  to 
right  and  left,  as  their  ponies'  hoofs  struck  the  turf, 
and  were  now  charging  down  upon  the  disabled  coach, 
yelling  madly  and  brandishing  their  guns.  The  very 
reckless  abandon  of  their  advance  expressed  the  con 
ception  they  had  of  the  situation  —  they  had  witnessed 
the  flight  of  the  two  fugitives,  the  runaway  of  the 
wheelers,  and  believed  the  remaining  passengers  would 
be  helpless  victims.  They  came  on,  savage  and  con 
fident,  not  anticipating  a  fight,  but  a  massacre  — 
shrieking  prisoners,  and  a  glut  of  revenge. 

With  one  swing  of  his  body,  Hamlin  was  upon  the 
ground,  and  had  jerked  open  the  inside  door  of  the 
coach,  forcing  It  back  against  the  dirt  of  the  bluff  which 
towered  in  protection  above.  His  eyes  were  quick  to 
perceive  the  peculiar  advantage  of  position;  that  their 
assailants  would  be  compelled  to  advance  from  only  one 
direction.  The  three  within  were  barely  struggling  to 
their  feet,  dazed,  bewildered,  failing  as  yet  to  compre 
hend  fully  those  distant  yells,  when  he  sprang  into  their 
midst,  uttering  his  swift  orders,  and  unceremoniously 
jerking  the  men  into  position  for  defence. 

"  Here,  quick  now !  Don't  waste  time !  It 's  a 
matter  of  seconds,  I  tell  you !  They  're  coming  —  a 
horde  of  them.  Here,  Moylan,  take  this  rifle  barrel 

52 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  STAGE 

and  knock  a  hole  through  the  back  there  big  enough  to 
sight  out  of.  Hit  it  hard,  damn  you,  it 's  a  case  of 
life  or  death!  What  have  you  got,  Gonzales?  A 
revolver?  Into  that  window  there,  and  blaze  away; 
you  Ve  got  the  reputation  of  a  gun-man ;  now  let 's  see 
you  prove  it.  Get  back  in  the  corner,  miss,  so  I  can 
slip  past  —  no,  lie  down  below  the  fire  line!  " 

"But  —  but  I  will  not!"  and  she  faced  him,  her 
face  white,  but  her  eyes  shining.  "  I  can  shoot ! 
See !  "  and  she  flashed  a  pearl-handled  revolver  defi 
antly.  The  Sergeant  thrust  her  unceremoniously  aside 
and  plunged  across  to  the  opposite  window,  gripping 
his  Henry  rifle. 

"  Do  as  I  say,"  he  growled.  "  This  is  our  fight. 
Get  down!  Now,  you  terriers,  let  them  have  it!" 

There  was  a  wild  skurrying  of  mounted  figures  al 
most  at  the  coach  wheels,  hair  streaming,  feathers  wav 
ing,  lean,  red  arms  thrown  up,  the  air  vocal  with  shrill 
outcries  —  then  the  dull  bark  of  a  Henry,  the  boom 
of  a  Winchester,  the  sharp  spitting  of  a  Colt.  The 
smoke  rolled  out  in  a  cloud,  pungent,  concealing,  nerv 
ous  fingers  pressing  the  triggers  again  and  again. 
They  could  see  reeling  horses,  men  gripping  their 
ponies'  manes  to  keep  erect,  staring,  frightened  eyes, 
animals  flung  back  on  their  haunches,  rearing  madly 

53 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

in  the  air.  The  fierce  yell  of  exultation  changed  into 
a  savage  scream,  bullets  crashed  into  the  thin  sides  of 
the  coach;  it  rocked  with  the  contact  of  a  half-naked 
body  flung  forward  by  a  plunging  horse;  the  Mexican 
swore  wildly  in  Spanish,  and  then  —  the  smoke  blew 
aside  and  they  saw  the  field;  the  dead  and  dying 
ponies,  three  motionless  bodies  huddled  on  the  grass, 
a  few  dismounted  stragglers  racing  on  foot  for  the 
river  bank,  and  a  squad  of  riders  circling  beyond  the 
trail.  Hamlin  swept  the  mingled  sweat  and  blood  out 
of  his  eyes,  smiled  grimly,  and  glanced  back  into  the 
coach,  instinctively  slipping  fresh  cartridges  into  his  hot 
rifle. 

'  That 's  one  time  those  fellows  ran  into  a  hornet's 
nest,"  he  commented  quietly,  all  trace  of  excitement 
vanished.  "  Better  load  up,  boys,  for  we  're  not 
through  yet  —  they  '11  only  be  more  careful  next  time. 
Anybody  hurt?" 

"  Somethin'  creased  my  back,"  replied  Moylan,  com- 
plainingly,  and  trying  vainly  to  put  a  hand  on  the  spot. 
"  Felt  like  a  streak  o'  fire."  The  Sergeant  reached 
across,  fingering  the  torn  shirt  curiously. 

"  Seared  the  flesh,  pardner,  but  no  blood  worth 
mentioning.  They  Ve  got  some  heavy  artillery  out 
there  from  the  sound  —  old  army  muskets  likely.  It 

54 


THE  DEFENCE  .OF  THE  STAGE 

is  our  repeating  rifles  that  will  win  out  —  those  red 
devils  don't  understand  them  yet." 

"  Sefior,  you  tink  we  win  out  den?  "  and  Gonzales 
peered  up  blinking  into  the  other's  face.  "  Sacre !  dey 
vil  fight  deeferent  de  nex'  time.  Ze  Americaine 
muskeet,  eet  carry  so  far  —  ess  eet  not  so  ?  " 

Hamlin  patted  his  brown  barrel  affectionately  as  if 
it  were  an  old  friend,  and  smiled  across  into  the  ques 
tioning  eyes  of  the  girl. 

"  I  Jm  willing  to  back  this  weapon  against  the  best 
of  them  for  distance,"  he  replied  easily,  "  and  it 's  ac 
curate  besides.  How  about  it,  Moylan?" 

"  I  'd  about  as  soon  be  in  front  as  behind  one  of  them 
cannon,"  answered  the  sutler  soberly.  "  I  toted  one 
four  years.  But  say,  pardner,  what 's  yer  name  ?  Yer 
a  cavalryman,  ain't  yer?  " 

"  Sergeant  —  forgot  I  was  n't  properly  introduced," 
and  he  bent  his  head  slightly,  glancing  again  toward 
the  girl.  "  Hamlin  is  the  rest  of  it." 

"'Brick 'Hamlin?" 

"  Sometimes  —  delicate  reference  to  my  hair,  miss," 
and  he  took  off  his  hat,  his  gray  eyes  laughing.  "  Born 
that  way,  but  does  n't  seem  to  interfere  with  me  much, 
since  I  was  a  kid.  You  Ve  heard  of  me  then,  Moylan? 
So  has  our  little  friend,  Gonzales,  here." 

55 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

The  sober-faced  sutler  merely  nodded,  evidently  in 
no  mood  for  pleasantry. 

"Oh,  ye 're  all  right,"  he  said  finally.  "I've 
heard  'em  say  you  was  a  fighter  down  round  Santa  Fe, 
an'  I  know  it  myself  now.  But  what  the  hell  are  we 
goin'  to  do?  This  yere  stagecoach  ain't  much  of  a 
fort  to  keep  off  a  bunch  o'  redskins  once  they  git  their 
mad  up.  Them  musket  bullets  go  through  like  the 
sides  was  paper,  an'  I  reckon  we  ain't  got  no  over- 
supply  o'  ammunition  —  I  know  I  ain't  fer  this 
Winchester.  How  long  do  yer  reckon  we  kin  hold 
out?" 

Hamlin's  face  became  grave,  his  eyes  also  turning 
toward  the  river.  The  sun  was  already  sinking  low  in 
the  west,  and  the  Indians,  gathered  in  council  out  of 
rifle-shot,  were  like  shadows  against  the  glimmering 
water  beyond. 

"  They  '11  try  us  again  just  before  dark,"  he  af 
firmed  slowly,  "  but  more  cautiously.  If  that  attack 
fails,  then  they  '11  endeavor  to  creep  in,  and  take  us 
by  surprise.  It 's  going  to  be  a  clear  night,  and  there 
is  small  chance  for  even  an  Indian  to  hide  in  that 
buffalo-grass  with  the  stars  shining.  They  have  got  to 
come  up  from  below,  for  no  buck  could  climb  down 
this  bluff  without  making  a  noise.  I  don't  see  why, 

56 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  STAGE 

with  decent  luck,  we  can't  hold  out  as  we  are  until  help 
gets  here;  those  fellows  who  rode  away  will  report  at 
Canon  Bluff  and  send  a  rider  on  to  Dodge  for  help. 
There  ought  to  be  soldiers  out  here  by  noon  to-morrow. 
What  troops  are  at  Dodge  now  ?  " 

"  Only  a  single  company  —  infantry,"  replied  Moy- 
lan  gloomily.  "  All  the  rest  are  out  scouting  'long  the 
Solomon.  Damned  if  I  believe  they  '11  send  us  a  man. 
Those  two  cowards  will  likely  report  us  all  dead  — 
otherwise  they  would  n't  have  any  excuse  for  runnin' 
away  —  and  the  commander  will  satisfy  himself  by 
sendin'  a  courier  to  the  fellers  in  the  field." 

"  Well,  then,"  commented  the  Sergeant,  his  eyes 
gleaming,  "  we  Ve  simply  got  to  fight  it  out  alone,  I 
reckon,  and  hang  on  to  our  last  shots.  What  do  you 
make  of  those  reds?  " 

The  three  men  stared  for  some  time  at  the  distant 
group  over  their  rifles,  in  silence. 

"  They  ain't  all  Arapahoes,  that 's  certain,"  said 
Moylan  at  last.  "  Some  of  'em  are  Cheyennes.  I  Ve 
seen  that  chief  before  —  it 's  Roman  Nose." 

"  The  big  buck  humped  up  on  the  roan?  " 

"That's  the  one,  and  he  is  a  bad  actor;  saw  him 
once  over  at  Fort  Kearney  two  years  ago.  Had  a 
council  there.  Say!"  in  surprise,  "ain't  that  an 

57 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

Ogalla  Sioux  war  bonnet  bobbin'  there  to  the  right, 
Sergeant?  " 

Hamlin  studied  the  distant  feathered  head-dress  in 
dicated,  shading  his  eyes  with  one  hand. 

"  I  reckon  maybe  it  is,  Moylan,"  he  acknowledged 
at  last  gravely.  '  Those  fellows  have  evidently  got 
together ;  we  're  going  to  have  the  biggest  scrap  this 
summer  the  old  army  has  had  yet.  Looks  as  though 
it  was  going  to  begin  right  here  —  and  now.  See 
there  I  The  dance  is  on,  boys ;  there  they  come ;  they 
will  try  it  on  foot  this  time." 

He  tested  his  rifle,  resting  one  knee  on  the  seat; 
Moylan  pushed  the  barrel  of  his  Winchester  out 
through  the  ragged  hole  in  the  back  of  the  coach, 
and  the  little  Mexican  lay  flat,  his  eyes  on  the  level 
with  the  window-casing.  The  girl  alone  remained  mo 
tionless,  crouched  on  the  floor,  her  white  face  up 
lifted. 

The  entire  field  stretching  to  the  river  was  clear  to 
the  view,  the  short,  dry  buffalo-grass  offering  no  con 
cealment.  To  the  right  of  the  coach,  some  fifty  feet 
away,  was  the  only  depression,  a  shallow  gully  lead 
ing  down  from  the  bluff,  but  this  slight  advantage  was 
unavailable.  The  sun  had  already  dropped  from  view, 
and  the  gathering  twilight  distorted  the  figures,  mak- 

58 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  STAGE 

ing  them  almost  grotesque  in  their  savagery.  Yet 
they  could  be  clearly  distinguished,  stealing  silently  for 
ward,  guns  in  hand,  spreading  out  in  a  wide  half-circle, 
obedient  to  the  gestures  of  Roman  Nose,  who,  still 
mounted  upon  his  pony,  was  traversing  the  river  bank, 
his  every  motion  outlined  against  the  dull  gleam  of 
water  behind  him.  From  the  black  depths  of  the 
coach  the  three  men  watched  in  almost  breathless 
silence,  gripping  their  weapons,  fascinated,  determined 
not  to  waste  a  shot.  Gonzales,  under  the  strain,  ut 
tered  a  fierce  Spanish  curse,  but  Hamlin  crushed  his 
arm  between  iron  fingers. 

"  Keep  still,  you  fool  I  "  he  muttered,  never  glancing 
around.  "Let  your  gun  talk!" 

The  assailants  came  creeping  on,  snakes  rather  than 
men,  appearing  less  and  less  human  in  the  increasing 
shadows.  Twice  the  Sergeant  lifted  his  Henry,  sight 
ing  along  the  brown  barrel,  lowering  the  weapon  again 
in  doubt  of  the  distance.  He  was  conscious  of  exulta 
tion,  of  a  swifter  pulse  of  the  heart,  yet  his  nerves  were 
like  steel,  his  grip  steady.  Only  a  dim  fleeting  memory 
of  the  girl,  half  hidden  in  the  darkness  behind,  gave  him 
uneasiness  —  he  could  not  turn  and  look  into  her  eyes. 
Roman  Nose  was  advancing  now  at  the  centre  of  that 
creeping  half  circle,  a  hulking  figure  perched  on  his 

59 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

pony's  back,  yet  well  out  of  rifle  range.  He  spread  his 
hands  apart,  clasping  a  blanket,  looking  like  a  great 
bird  flapping  its  wings,  and  the  ground  in  front  flamed, 
the  red  flare  splitting  the  gray  gloom.  The  speeding 
bullets  crashed  through  the  leather  of  the  coach,  splin 
tering  the  wood;  the  Mexican  rolled  to  the  floor,  ut 
tering  one  inhuman  cry,  and  lay  motionless;  a  great 
volume  of  black  smoke  wavered  in  the  still  air. 

"  Wait !  Wait  until  they  get  to  their  feet ! " 
Hamlin  cried  eagerly.  "  Ah !  there  they  come  —  now 
unlimber." 

He  saw  only  those  black,  indistinct  figures,  leaping 
out  of  the  smoke,  converging  on  the  coach,  their  naked 
arms  uplifted,  their  voices  mingling  in  savage  yells. 
Like  lightning  he  worked  his  rifle,  heart  throbbing  to 
the  excitement,  oblivious  to  all  else;  almost  without 
realization  he  heard  the  deeper  bellow  of  Moylan's 
Winchester,  the  sharp  bark  of  a  revolver  at  his  very 
ear.  Gonzales  was  all  right,  then!  Good!  He 
never  thought  of  the  girl,  never  saw  her  grip  the  pistol 
from  the  Mexican's  dead  hand,  and  crawl  white-faced, 
over  his  body,  to  that  front  seat.  All  he  really  knew 
was  that  those  devils  were  coming,  leaping,  crowding 
through  the  smoke  wreathes;  he  saw  them  stumble,  and 
rise  again ;  he  saw  one  leap  into  the  air,  and  then  crash 

60 


THE  DEFENCE  OF  THE  STAGE 

face  down;  he  saw  them  break,  circling  to  right  and 
left,  crouching  as  they  ran.  Two  reached  the  stage 
—  only  two !  One  pitched  forward,  a  revolver  bullet 
between  his  eyes,  his  head  wedged  in  the  spokes  of  the 
wheel ;  the  other  Hamlin  struck  with  emptied  rifle-bar 
rel  as  his  red  hand  gripped  the  door,  sending  him 
sprawling  back  into  the  dirt.  It  was  all  the  work  of 
a  minute,  an  awful  minute,  intense,  breathless  —  then 
silence,  the  smoke  drifting  away,  the  dark  night  hiding 
the  skulking  runners. 


6l 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   CONDITION   IN   THE   COACH 

MECHANICALLY  —  scarcely  conscious  of  the 
action  —  the  Sergeant  slipped  fresh  cartridges 
into  the  hot  rifle  chamber,  swept  the  tumbled  hair  out 
of  his  eyes  with  his  shirt  sleeve,  and  stared  into  the 
night.  He  could  hardly  comprehend  yet  that  the 
affair  was  ended,  the  second  attack  repulsed.  It  was 
like  a  delirium  of  fever;  he  almost  expected  to  see 
those  motionless  bodies  outstretched  on  the  grass  spring 
up,  yelling  defiance.  Then  he  gripped  himself  firmly, 
realizing  the  truth  —  it  was  over  with  for  the  present r 
away  off  there  in  the  haze  obscuring  the  river  bank 
those  indistinct  black  smudges  were  fleeing  savages, 
their  voices  wailing  through  the  night.  Just  in  front, 
formless,  huddled  where  they  had  fallen,  were  the 
bodies  of  dead  and  dying,  smitten  ponies  and  half-naked 
men.  "He  drew  a  deep  breath  through  clinched  teeth, 
endeavoring  to  distinguish  his  comrades. 

The  interior  of  the  coach  was  black,  and  soundless, 
except  for  some  one's  swift,  excited  breathing.    As  he 

62 


THE  CONDITION  IN  THE  COACH 

extended  his  cramped  leg  to  the  floor  he  touched  a 
motionless  body.  Not  until  then  had  he  realized  the 
possibility  of  death  also  within.  He  felt  downward 
with  one  hand,  his  nerves  suddenly  throbbing,  and  his 
finger  touched  a  cold  face  —  the  Mexican.  It  must 
have  been  that  last  volley,  for  he  could  distinctly  re 
call  the  sharp  bark  of  Gonzales'  revolver  between  his 
own  shots. 

'  The  little  devil,"  he  muttered  soberly.  "  It  was 
a  squarer  death  than  he  deserved.  He  was  a  game 
little  cock." 

Then  he  thought  of  Moylan,  wondering  why  the 
man  did  not  move,  or  speak.  That  was  not  like  Moy 
lan.  He  bent  forward,  half  afraid  in  the  stillness,  en 
deavoring  to  discover  space  on  the  floor  for  both  his 
feet.  He  could  perceive  now  a  distant  star  showing 
clear  through  the  ragged  opening  jabbed  in  the  back 
of  the  coach,  but  no  outline  of  the  sutler's  burly 
shoulders. 

"Moylan!"  he  called,  hardly  above  a  whisper. 
"What  is  the  trouble?  Have  you  been  hit,  man?" 

There  was  no  answer,  no  responding  sound,  and  he 
stood  up,  reaching  kindly  over  across  the  seat.  Then 
he  knew,  and  felt  a  shudder  run  through  him  from 
head  to  foot.  Bent  double  over  the  iron  back  of  the 

63 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

middle  seat,  with  hands  still  gripping  his  hot  rifle,  the 
man  hung,  limp  and  lifeless.  Almost  without  realizing 
the  act,  Hamlin  lifted  the  heavy  body,  laid  it  down 
upon  the  cushion,  and  unclasped  the  dead  fingers  grip 
ping  the  Winchester  stock. 

"  Every  shot  gone,"  he  whispered  to  himself 
dazedly,  "  every  shot  gone!  Ain't  that  hell!  " 

Then  it  came  to  him  in  a  sudden  flash  of  intelligence 
—  he  was  alone ;  alone  except  for  the  girl.  They  were 
out  there  yet,  skulking  in  the  night,  planning  revenge, 
those  savage  foemen  —  Arapahoes,  Cheyennes,  Ogal- 
las.  They  had  been  beaten  back,  defeated,  smitten 
with  death,  but  they  were  Indians  still.  They  would 
come  back  for  the  bodies  of  their  slain,  and  then  — 
what?  They  could  not  know  who  were  living,  who 
dead,  in  the  coach;  yet  must  have  discovered  long 
since  that  it  had  only  contained  three  defenders. 
They  would  guess  that  ammunition  would  be  limited. 
His  knowledge  of  the  fighting  tactics  of  the  Plains 
tribes  gave  clear  vision  of  what  would  probably  occur. 
They  would  wait,  scattered  out  in  a  wide  circle  from 
bluff  to  bluff,  lying  snake-like  in  the  grass.  Some  of 
the  bolder  might  creep  in  to  drag  away  the  bodies  of 
dead  warriors,  risking  a  chance  shot,  but  there  would 
be  no  open  attack  in  the  dark.  That  would  be  averse 

64 


to  all  Indian  strategy,  all  precedent.  Even  now  the 
mournful  wailing  had  ceased;  Roman  Nose  had  rallied 
his  warriors,  instilled  into  them  his  own  unconquerable 
savagery,  and  set  them  on  watch.  With  the  first  gray 
dawn  they  would  come  again,  leaping  to  the  coach's 
wheels,  yelling,  triumphant,  mad  with  new  ferocity  — 
and  he  was  alone,  except  for  the  girl. 

And  where  was  she?  He  felt  for  her  on  the  floor, 
but  only  touched  the  Mexican's  feet  He  had  to  lean 
across  the  seat  where  Moylan's  body  lay,  shrouded  in 
darkness,  before  his  groping  fingers  came  in  contact 
with  the  skirt  of  her  dress.  She  was  on  the  front  seat, 
close  to  the  window;  against  the  lightness  of  the  outer 
sky,  her  head  seemed  lying  upon  the  wooden  frame. 
She  did  not  move,  he  could  not  even  tell  that  she 
breathed,  and  for  an  instant  his  dry  lips  failed  him 
utterly,  his  blood  seemed  to  stop.  Good  God!  Had 
she  been  killed  also?  How,  in  Heaven's  name,  did  she 
ever  get  there?  Then  suddenly  she  lifted  her  head 
slightly,  brushing  back  her  hair  with  one  arm;  the 
faint  starlight  gleamed  on  a  short  steel  barrel.  The 
Sergeant  expelled  his  breath  swiftly,  wetting  his  dry 
lips. 

"  Are  you  hurt?  "  he  questioned  anxiously.  "  Lord, 
but  you  gave  me  a  scare !  " 

65 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

She  seemed  to  hear  his  voice,  yet  scarcely  to  under 
stand,  like  one  aroused  suddenly  from  sleep. 

"  What !  you  spoke  —  then  —  then  —  there  are 
others?  I  —  I  am  not  here  all  alone?" 

"  Not  if  you  count  me,"  he  said,  a  trace  of  reck 
lessness  in  the  answer.  "  I  have  n't  even  a  scratch  so 
far  as  I  know.  Did  they  touch  you  ?  " 

"  No ;  that  is,  I  am  not  quite  sure ;  it  —  it  was  all 
so  horrible  I  cannot  remember.  Who  are  you?  Are 
you  the  —  the  soldier  ?  " 

'  Yes  —  I  'm  Hamlin.  Would  you  mind  telling 
me  how  you  ever  got  over  there?  " 

She  straightened  up,  seemed  to  notice  the  heavy  re 
volver  in  her  fingers,  and  let  it  fall  to  the  floor. 

"  Oh,  it  is  like  a  dream  —  an  awful  dream.  I 
could  n't  help  myself.  When  the  Mexican  rolled  off 
on  to  the  floor,  I  knew  he  was  dead,  and  —  and  there 
was  his  revolver  held  right  out  to  me  in  his  hand.  Be 
fore  I  iealized  I  had  it,  and  was  up  here  —  I  —  I 
killed  one  —  he  —  he  fell  in  the  wheel;  I  —  I  can 
never  forget  that!  " 

"  Don't  try,"  broke  in  Hamlin  earnestly. 
"  You  're  all  right,"  he  added,  admiration  in  his  voice. 
"  And  so  it  was  you  there  with  the  small  gun.  I  heard 

66 


THE  CONDITION  IN  THE  COACH 

it  bark,  but  never  knew  Gonzales  was  hit.  When 
did  it  happen?  " 

"  When  —  when  they  fired  first.  It  —  it  was  all 
smoke  out  there  when  I  got  to  the  window ;  they  — 
they  looked  like  —  like  wild  beasts,  and  it  did  n't  seem 
to  me  I  was  myself  at  all." 

The  man  laughed  lightly. 

"  You  did  the  right  thing,  that 's  all,"  he  consoled, 
anxious  to  control  her  excitement.  "  Now  you  and  I 
must  decide  what  to  do  next  —  we  are  all  alone." 

"Alone!     Has  Mr.  Moylan  been  hit  also?" 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  feeling  it  was  better  to  tell  her 
frankly.  "  He  was  shot,  and  is  beyond  our  help.  But 
come,"  and  he  reached  over  and  took  her  hand,  "  you 
must  not  give  up  now." 

She  offered  no  resistance,  but  sat  motionless,  her  face 
turned  away.  Yet  she  knew  she  trembled  from  head 
to  foot,  the  reaction  mastering  her.  A  red  tongue  of 
flame  seemed  to  slit  the  outside  blackness;  there  was 
a  single  sharp  report,  echoing  back  from  the  bluff, 
but  no  sound  of  the  striking  bullet.  Just  an  instant 
he  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  face,  as  she  drew  back, 
startled. 

"  Oh,  they  are  coming  again  I     What  shall  we  do?  " 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  No,"  he  insisted,  still  retaining  her  hand,  confident 
in  his  judgment.  "  Those  fellows  will  not  attempt  to 
rush  us  again  to-night.  You  must  keep  cool,  for  we 
shall  need  all  our  wits  to  get  away.  An  Indian  never 
risks  a  night  assault,  unless  it  is  a  surprise.  He  wants 
to  see  what  he  is  up  against.  Those  bucks  have  got 
all  they  want  of  this  outfit;  they  have  no  reason  to 
suppose  any  of  us  were  hit.  They  are  as  much  afraid 
as  we  are,  but  when  it  gets  daylight,  and  they  can 
see  the  shape  we  're  in,  then  they  '11  come  yelling." 

"  But  they  can  lie  out  there  in  the  dark  and  shoot," 
she  protested.  '  That  shot  was  aimed  at  us,  was  n't 
it?" 

"  I  reckon  it  was,  but  it  never  got  here.  Don't 
let  that  worry  you ;  if  an  Indian  ever  hits  anything  with 
a  gun  it 's  going  to  be  by  pure  accident."  He  stared 
out  of  the  window.  "  They  're  liable  to  bang  away 
occasionally,  and  I  suppose  it  is  up  to  us  to  make  some 
response  just  to  tell  them  we  're  awake  and  ready. 
But  they  ain't  firing  expecting  to  do  damage  —  only  to 
attract  attention  while  they  haul  off  their  dead. 
There  's  a  red  snake  yonder  now  creeping  along  in  the 
grass  —  see  !  " 

"  No,"  hysterically,  "  it  is  just  black  to  me." 

68 


THE  CONDITION  IN  THE  COACH 

"  You  have  n't  got  the  plainsman's  eyes  yet.  Watch, 
now;  I  'm  going  to  stir  the  fellow  up." 

He  leaned  forward,  the  stock  of  the  Henry  held  to 
his  shoulder,  and  she  clutched  the  window-casing.  An 
instant  the  muzzle  of  the  rifle  wavered  slightly,  then 
steadied  into  position. 

"  Have  to  guess  the  distance,"  he  muttered  in  ex 
planation,  and  pulled  the  trigger. 

There  was  a  lightning  flash,  a  sharp  ringing  report, 
a  yell  in  the  distance,  followed  by  the  sound  of  scram 
bling.  Hamlin  laughed,  as  he  lowered  his  gun. 

"  Made  him  hump,  anyway,"  he  commented  cheer 
fully.  "  Now  what  comes  next?  " 

"I  —  I  do  not  know,"  she  answered,  as  though  the 
question  had  been  asked  her,  "  do  you?  " 

Somehow  she  was  not  as  frightened  as  she  had  been. 
The  calm  steady  coolness  of  the  man  was  having  its 
natural  effect,  was  helping  to  control  her  own  nerves. 
She  felt  his  strength,  his  confidence,  and  was  begin 
ning  to  lean  upon  him  —  he  seemed  to  know  exactly 
what  he  was  about. 

"Well,  no,  honestly  I  don't;  not  yet,"  he  returned, 
hesitating  slightly.  (  There  is  no  use  denying  we  are 
in  a  mighty  bad  hole.  If  Moylan  hadn't  got  shot 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

we  might  have  held  out  till  help  arrived;  I  've  got 
about  twenty  cartridges  left;  but  you  and  I  alone  never 
could  do  it.  I  Ve  got  to  think  it  out,  I  reckon ;  this 
has  been  a  blind  fight  so  far;  nothing  to  it  but  blazing 
away  as  fast  as  I  could  pull  trigger.  Now,  maybe, 
I  can  use  my  brains  a  bit." 

She  could  not  see  him,  but  some  instinct  led  her  to 
put  out  her  hand  and  touch  the  rough  sleeve  of  his 
shirt.  It  made  her  sure  of  his  presence,  his  protec 
tion.  The  man  felt  the  movement,  and  understood  its 
meaning,  his  heart  throbbing  strangely. 

"  You  are  going  to  trust  me?  " 

"Of  —  of  course;  how  could  you  doubt  that?" 

"  Well,"  still  half  questioning,  "  you  see  I  'm  only 
an  enlisted  man,  and  sometimes  officers'  ladies  think 
we  are  mostly  pretty  poor  stuff,  just  food  for  powder." 

She  tightened  her  grip  on  his  sleeve,  drawing  a  quick 
breath  of  surprise. 

"Oh,  but  I  am  not  like  that;  truly  I  am  not.  I 
—  I  saw  your  face  this  afternoon,  and  —  and  I  liked 
you  then.  I  will  do  whatever  you  say." 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said  simply.  "  To  know  that 
makes  everything  so  much  easier  for  me.  We  shall 
have  to  work  together  from  now  on.  You  keep  sharp 
watch  at  the  window  there,  while  I  think  a  bit  — 

70 


THE  CONDITION  IN  THE  COACH 

tb^re  's  ordinarily  a  chance  somewhere,  you  know,  if 
one  Is  only  bright  enough  to  uncover  it." 

How  still  the  night  was,  and  dark;  although  the  sky 
was  cloudless,  the  stars  shone  clearly  away  up  in  the 
black  vault.  Not  even  the  howl  of  a  distant  coyote 
broke  the  silence.  To  the  left,  seemingly  a  full  half- 
mile  distant,  was  the  red  flicker  of  a  fire,  barely  visible 
behind  a  projection  of  bank.  But  in  front  not  even  the 
keen  eyes  of  the  Sergeant  could  distinguish  any  sign 
of  movement.  Apparently  the  Indians  had  abandoned 
their  attempt  to  recover  the  bodies  of  their  dead. 


CHAPTER  VII 

PLANS    FOR   ESCAPE 

DESPERATE  as  he  certainly  felt  their  situation 
to  be,  for  a  moment  or  two  Hamlin  was  unable 
to  cast  aside  the  influence  of  the  girl,  or  concentrate 
his  thoughts  on  some  plan  for  escape.  It  may  have 
been  the  gentle  pressure  of  her  hand  upon  his  sleeve, 
but  her  voice  continued  to  ring  in  his  ears.  He  had 
never  been  a  woman's  man,  nor  was  he  specially  in 
terested  in  this  woman  beside  him.  He  had  seen  her 
fairly,  with  his  first  appreciative  glance,  when  he  had 
climbed  into  the  stage  on  the  preceding  day.  He  had 
realized  there  fully  the  charm  of  her  face,  the  dark 
roguish  eyes,  the  clear  skin,  the  wealth  of  dark  hair. 
Yet  all  this  was  impersonal;  however  pretty  she  might 
be,  the  fact  was  nothing  to  him  and  never  could  be. 
Knowing  who  she  was,  he  comprehended  instantly  the 
social  gulf  stretching  unbridged  between  them.  An 
educated  man  himself,  with  family  connections  he  had 
long  ago  ceased  to  discuss,  he  realized  his  present  posi 
tion  more  keenly  than  he  otherwise  might.  He  had 

72 


PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE 

enlisted  in  the  army  with  no  misunderstanding  as  to 
what  a  private's  uniform  meant.  He  had  never  here 
tofore  supposed  he  regretted  any  loss  in  this  respect, 
his  nature  apparently  satisfied  with  the  excitement  of 
active  frontier  service,  yet  he  vaguely  knew  there  had 
been  times  when  he  longed  for  companionship  with 
women  of  the  class  to  which  he  had  once  belonged. 
Fortunately  his  border  stations  offered  little  tempta 
tion  in  this  respect,  and  he  had  grown  to  believe  that 
he  had  actually  forgotten.  That  afternoon  even  — 
sweetly  fair  as  Miss  McDonald  undoubtedly  appeared 
—  he  had  looked  upon  her  without  the  throb  of  a 
pulse,  as  he  might  upon  a  picture.  She  was  not  for 
him  even  to  admire  —  she  was  Major  McDonald's 
daughter,  whom  he  had  been  sent  to  guard.  That 
was  all  then. 

Yet  he  knew  that  somehow  it  was  different  now  — 
the  personal  element  had  entered  unwelcomed,  into  the 
equation.  Sitting  there  in  the  dark,  Gonzales'  body 
crumpled  on  the  floor  at  his  feet,  and  Moylan  lying 
stiff  and  cold  along  the  back  seat,  with  this  girl  grasp 
ing  his  sleeve  in  trust,  she  remained  no  longer  merely 
the  Major's  daughter  —  she  had  become  herself. 
And  she  did  not  seem  to  care  and  did  not  seem  to  real 
ize  that  there  were  barriers  of  rank,  which  under 

73 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

other  circumstances  must  so  utterly  separate  them. 
She  liked  him,  and  frankly  told  him  so,  not  as  she 
would  dismiss  an  inferior  with  kindness,  but  as  though 
he  was  an  equal,  as  though  he  was  a  gentleman. 
Somehow  the  very  tone  of  her  voice,  the  clinging  touch 
of  her  hand,  sent  the  blood  pumping  through  his  veins. 
Something  besides  duty  inspired  him ;  he  was  no  longer 
merely  a  soldier,  but  had  suddenly  become  transformed 
into  a  man.  Years  of  repression,  of  iron  discipline, 
were  blotted  out,  and  he  became  even  as  his  birthright 
made  him.  "Molly  McDonald,"  "Molly  Mc 
Donald,"  he  whispered  the  name  unconsciously  to  him 
self.  Then  his  eyes  caught  the  distant  flicker  of  In 
dian  fire,  and  his  teeth  locked  savagely. 

There  was  something  else  to  do  besides  dream.  Be 
cause  the  girl  had  spoken  pleasantly  was  no  reason 
why  he  should  act  the  fool.  Angry  at  himself,  he 
gripped  his  faculties,  and  faced  the  situation,  aroused, 
intent.  He  must  save  himself  —  and  her!  But  how? 
What  plan  promised  any  possibility  of  success?  He 
had  their  surroundings  in  a  map  before  his  eyes.  His 
training  had  taught  him  to  note  and  remember  what 
others  would  as  naturally  neglect.  He  was  a  soldier 
of  experience,  a  plainsman  by  long  training,  and  even 
in  the  fierceness  of  the  Indians'  attack  on  the  stage  his 

74 


PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE 

quick  glance  had  completely  visualized  their  surround 
ings.  He  had  not  appreciated  this  at  the  time,  but 
now  the  topography  of  the  immediate  region  was 
unrolled  before  him  in  detail;  yard  by  yard  it  reap 
peared  as  though  photographed.  He  saw  the  widely 
rutted  trail,  rounding  the  bluff  at  the  right  a  hundred 
yards  away,  curving  sharply  down  the  slope  and  then 
disappearing  over  the  low  hill  to  the  left,  a  slight 
stream  trickling  along  its  base.  Below,  the  short  buf 
falo-grass,  sunburned  and  brittle,  ran  to  the  sandy 
edge  of  the  river,  which  flowed  silently  in  a  broad,  shal 
low,  yellow  flood  beneath  the  star  gleam.  Under  the 
protection  of  that  bank,  but  somewhat  to  the  left,  where 
a  handful  of  stunted  cottonwood  trees  had  found  pre 
carious  foothold  in  the  sand,  gleamed  the  solitary  In 
dian  fire.  About  its  embers,  no  doubt,  squatted  the 
chiefs  and  older  warriors,  feasting  and  taking  council, 
while  the  younger  bucks  lay,  rifles  in  hand,  along  the 
night-enshrouded  slope,  their  cruel,  vengeful  eyes  seek 
ing  to  distinguish  the  outlines  of  the  coach  against  the 
black  curtain  of  the  bluff. 

This  had  proven  thus  far  their  salvation  —  that 
steep  uplift  of  earth  against  which  the  stage  had 
crashed  in  its  mad  dash  —  for  its  precipitant  front  had 
compelled  the  savages  to  attack  from  one  direction 

75 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

only,  a  slight  overhang,  not  unlike  a  roof,  making  it 
impossible  even  to  shoot  down  from  above.  But  this 
same  sharp  incline  was  now  likewise  a  preventive  of 
escape.  Hamlin  shook  his  head  as  he  recalled  to  mind 
its  steep  ascent,  without  root  or  shrub  to  cling  to.  No, 
it  would  never  do  to  attempt  that ;  not  with  her.  Per 
haps  alone  he  might  scramble  up  somehow,  but  with 
her  the  feat  would  be  impossible.  He  dismissed  this 
as  hopeless,  his  memory  of  their  surroundings  drifting 
from  point  to  point  aimlessly.  He  saw  the  whole 
barren  vista  as  it  last  stood  revealed  under  the  glow 
of  the  sun  —  the  desolate  plateau  above,  stretching 
away  into  the  dim  north,  the  brown  level  of  the  plains, 
broken  only  by  sharp  fissures  in  the  surface,  treeless, 
extending  for  unnumbered  leagues.  To  east  and  west 
the  valley,  now  scarcely  more  green  than  those  upper 
plains,  bounded  by  its  verdureless  bluffs,  ran  crookedly, 
following  the  river  course,  its  only  sign  of  white  do 
minion  the  rutted  trail.  Beyond  the  stream  there  ex 
tended  miles  of  white  sand-dunes,  fantastically  shapen 
by  the  wind,  gradually  changing  into  barren  plains  of 
alkali.  Between  crouched  the  vigilant  Indian  sentinels, 
alert  and  revengeful. 

Certain  facts  were  clear  —  to  remain  meant  death, 
torture  for  him  if  they  were  taken  alive,  and  worse 


PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE 

than  death  for  her.  Perspiration  burst  out  upon  his 
face  at  the  thought.  No!  Great  God!  not  that;  he 
would  kill  her  himself  first.  Yet  this  was  the  truth, 
the  truth  to  be  faced.  The  nearest  available  troops 
were  at  Dodge,  a  company  of  infantry.  If  they 
started  at  once  they  could  never  arrive  in  time  to  pre 
vent  an  attack  at  daybreak.  The  Indians  undoubtedly 
knew  this,  realized  the  utter  helplessness  of  their  vic 
tims,  and  were  acting  accordingly.  Otherwise  they 
would  never  have  lighted  that  fire  nor  remained  on 
guard.  Moreover  if  the  two  of  them  should  suc 
ceed  in  stealing  forth  from  the  shelter  of  the  coach, 
should  skulk  unseen  amid  the  dense  blackness  of  the 
overhanging  bluff,  eluding  the  watchers,  what  would  it 
profit  in  the  end?  Their  trail  would  be  clear;  with  the 
first  gray  of  dawn  those  savage  trackers  would  be  at 
work,  and  they  would  be  trapped  in  the  open,  on  foot, 
utterly  helpless  even  to  fight. 

The  man's  hands  clenched  and  unclenched  about  his 
rifle-barrel  in  an  agony  of  indecision,  his  eyes  perceiv 
ing  the  silhouette  of  the  girl  against  the  lighter  arc  of 
sky.  No,  not  that  —  not  that !  They  must  hide  their 
trail,  leave  behind  no  faintest  trace  of  passage  for  these 
hounds  to  follow.  Yet  how  could  the  miracle  be  ac 
complished?  Out  from  the  mists  of  tortured  memory 

77 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

came,  as  a  faint  hope,  a  dim  recollection  of  that  nar 
row  gully  cutting  straight  down  across  the  trail,  over 
which  the  runaway  had  crashed  in  full  gallop.  That 
surely  could  not  be  far  back,  and  was  of  sufficient  depth 
to  hide  them  in  the  darkness.  He  was  uncertain  how 
far  it  extended,  but  at  some  time  it  had  been  a  water 
course  and  must  have  reached  the  river.  And  the 
river  would  hide  their  trail !  A  new  hope  sprang  into 
his  eyes.  He  felt  the  sudden  straightening  up  of  his 
body. 

"What  —  what  is  it?"  she  questioned,  startled. 
"  Do  you  see  anything?  Are  they  coming?  " 

"  No,  no,"  almost  impatiently.  "  It  is  still  as  death 
out  there,  but  I  almost  believe  I  have  discovered  a 
means  of  escape.  Do  you  remember  a  gully  we  ran 
over  while  I  was  on  top  of  the  stage?  " 

"  I  am  not  sure;  was  it  when  that  awful  jolt  came?  " 

"  Yes,  it  flung  me  to  the  foot-board  just  when  I  had 
untangled  the  lines.  We  could  not  have  travelled  a 
dozen  yards  farther  before  we  struck  this  bluff  — 
could  we?  " 

"  I  hardly  think  so,"  yet  evidently  bewildered  by 
his  rapid  questioning.  "  Only  I  was  so  confused  and 
frightened  I  can  scarcely  remember.  Why  are  you  so 
anxious  to  know?  " 

78 


PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE 

"  Because,"  he  returned  earnestly,  bending  toward 
her,  "  I  believe  that  gash  in  the  earth  is  going  to  get 
us  out  of  here.  Anyhow  it  is  the  only  chance  I  can 
figure.  If  we  can  creep  through  to, the  river,  undis 
covered,  I  '11  agree  to  leave  Mister  Indian  guessing  as 
to  where  we  Ve  gone." 

The  new  note  of  animation  in  the  man's  voice 
aroused  her,  but  she  grasped  his  arm  tighter. 

"But  —  but,  oh,  can  we?  Won't  they  be  hiding 
there  too?" 

"  It 's  a  chance,  that 's  all  —  but  better  than  waiting 
here  for  a  certainty.  See  here,  Miss  McDonald,"  and 
he  caught  her  hand  in  his  own,  forgetful  of  all  save 
his  own  purpose  and  the  necessity  of  strengthening  her 
to  play  out  the  game,  "  the  trend  of  that  gulf  is  to 
the  west;  except  up  here  close  to  the  bluff  it  runs  too 
far  away  for  a  guard  line.  The  Indians  will  be  lying 
out  here  on  the  open  prairie;  they  will  creep  as  close 
in  as  they  dare  under  cover  of  darkness.  I  '11  bet 
there  are  twenty  red  snakes  now  within  a  hundred  feet 
of  us  —  oh,  don't  shiver  and  lose  your  nerve !  They  '11 
not  try  to  close  that  gap  yet;  it 's  too  dangerous  with 
us  on  guard  and  only  one  side  of  the  coach  exposed. 
That  fellow  was  trying  us  out  a  while  ago,  and  they  Ve 
kept  quiet  ever  since  I  let  drive  at  him.  They  know 

79 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

the  limits  of  the  safety  zone,  and  will  keep  there  until 
just  before  daylight.  That  is  when  they  '11  try  to  creep 
up  upon  us.  Have  you  got  the  time?  " 

She  opened  her  watch,  feeling  for  the  hands  with 
her  fingers,  wondering  vaguely  at  her  own  calmness. 
The  cool  resourcefulness  of  Hamlin  was  like  a  tonic. 

"  It  —  it  is  a  little  after  one  o'clock,"  she  said  slowly, 
"  although  I  am  not  sure  my  watch  is  exactly  right." 

"Near  enough;  there  are  signs  of  daylight  at  four 
—  three  hours  left;  that  ought  to  be  sufficient,  but  with 

V 

no  darkness  to  spare.  Will  you  go  with  me?  Will 
you  do  exactly  as  I  say?  " 

She  drew  a  swift  breath,  holding  her  hand  to  her 
side. 

"Oh,  yes,"  her  voice  catching,  "what  —  what  else 
can  I  do?  I  cannot  stay  here  with  those  dead 
men!" 

"  But  I  want  you  to  go  because  —  well,  because 
you  trust  me,"  he  urged,  a  new  trace  of  tenderness  in 
his  lowered  voice.  "  Because  you  know  I  would  give 
my  life  to  defend  you." 

He  was  not  sure,  but  he  thought  her  face  was  sud 
denly  uplifted,  her  eyes  seeking  to  see  him  in  the  dark 
ness. 

"  I  do,"  she  answered  gravely,  "  you  must  believe 

80 


PLANS  FOR  ESCAPE 

I  do;  but  I  have  never  been  in  such  peril  before,  in 
such  a  situation  of  horror,  and  I  am  all  unnerved. 
There  does  n't  seem  to  be  anything  left  me  but  —  to 
trust  you." 

"That  is  good;  all  I  can  ask.  I  know  you  are  all 
right,  but  I  want  you  to  keep  your  nerve.  We  are 
going  to  take  a  big  chance ;  we  Ve  got  to  do  it  —  a 
single  misplay,  a  slip  of  the  foot,  an  incautious  breath 
may  cost  our  lives." 

"  Are  you  going  to  try  to  get  away  ?  To  elude  the 
Indians?  " 

'  Yes,  and  there  is  but  one  possibility  of  success  — 
to  creep  the  length  of  the  gully  there,  and  so  reach 
the  river.  Here  is  Gonzales'  belt.  Don't  be  afraid 
of  it;  it  is  not  dead  men  who  are  going  to  hurt  us. 
Swing  the  strap  over  your  shoulder  this  way,  and  slip 
the  revolver  into  the  holster.  That's  right;  we'll 
carry  as  little  as  we  can,  and  leave  our  hands  free." 
He  hesitated,  staring  about  in  the  darkness,  swiftly  de 
ciding  what  to  take.  "  Do  you  happen  to  know  if 
either  of  the  passengers  carried  any  grub  ?  " 

"Grub?" 

"Plains'  term  for  food,"  impatiently,  "rations; 
something  for  lunch  en  route." 

"Oh,   yes,    Mr.    Moylan   did;   said   he  never   took 
6  81 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

chances  on  having  to  go  hungry.  It  was  in  a  flat 
leather  pouch." 

"  Haversack.  I  have  it.  That  will  be  enough  to 
carry,  with  the  canteen.  Now  there  is  only  one  thing 
more  before  we  leave.  We  must  impress  those  fel 
lows  with  the  notion  that  we  are  wide-awake,  and  on 
guard  yet.  See  any  movement  out  there?" 

"I  —  I  am  not  sure,"  she  answered  doubtfully. 
"There  is  a  black  smudge  beyond  that  dead  pony; 
lean  forward  here  and  you  can  see  what  I  mean  —  on 
the  ground.  I  —  I  imagined  it  moved  just  then." 
She  pointed  into  the  darkness.  "  It  is  the  merest 
shadow,  but  seemed  to  wiggle  along,  and  then  stop; 
it's  still  now." 

Hamlin  focussed  his  keen  eyes  on  the  spot  indicated, 
shading  them  with  one  hand. 

"  Slide  back  further  on  the  seat,"  he  whispered 
softly,  "  and  let  me  in  next  the  window." 

There  was  a  moment's  silence,  the  only  sound  the 
wind.  The  girl  gripped  the  back  of  the  seat  nervously 
with  both  hands,  holding  her  breath ;  the  Sergeant,  the 
outline  of  his  face  silhouetted  against  the  sky,  stared 
motionless  into  the  night  without.  Suddenly,  not 
making  a  sound,  he  lifted  the  rifle  to  his  shoulder. 


82 


CHAPTER  VIII 

A  WAY  TO  THE   RIVER 

SHE  waited  in  agony  as  he  sighted  carefully,  striving 
to  gauge  the  distance.  It  seemed  an  interminable 
time  before  his  finger  pressed  the  trigger.  Then  came 
the  report,  a  flash  of  flame,  and  the  powder  smoke 
blown  back  in  her  face.  Half-blinded  by  the  dis 
charge,  she  yet  saw  that  black  smudge  leap  upright; 
again  the  Henry  blazed,  and  the  dim  figure  went  down. 
There  was  a  cry  —  a  mad  yell  of  rage  —  in  which 
scattered  voices  joined;  spits  of  fire  cleaving  the  dark 
ness,  the  barking  of  guns  of  different  calibre.  A  bit 
of  flying  lead  tore  through  the  leather  back  of  the 
coach  with  an  odd  rip;  another  struck  the  casing  of 
the  door,  sending  the  wooden  splinters  flying  like  ar 
rows.  Hawk-eyed,  Hamlin  fired  twice  more,  aiming 
at  the  sparks,  grimly  certain  that  a  responding  howl 
from  the  left  evidenced  a  hit.  Then,  as  quickly,  all 
was  still,  intensely  black  once  more.  The  Sergeant 
drew  back  from  the  window,  leaning  his  gun  against 
the  casing. 

83 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  That  will  hold  them  for  a  while,"  he  said  cheer 
fully.  "  Two  less  out  there,  I  reckon,  and  the  others 
won't  get  careless  again  right  away.  Now  is  our  time ; 
are  you  ready?  " 

There  was  no  response,  the  stillness  so  profound  he 
could  hear  the  faint  ticking  of  the  girl's  watch.  He 
reached  out,  almost  alarmed,  and  touched  her  dress. 

"What  is  the  trouble?"  he  questioned  anxiously. 
"Didn't  you  hear  me  speak?" 

He  waited  breathless,  but  there  was  no  movement, 
no  sound,  and  his  hand,  trembling,  in  spite  of  his  iron 
nerve,  groped  its  way  upward.  She  was  lying  back 
against  the  opposite  window,  her  head  bent  sideways. 

"  My  God,"  he  thought,  "  did  those  devils  get  her?  " 

He  lifted  her  slight  figure  up  on  one  arm,  all  else 
blotted  out,  all  other  memory  vanished  through  this  in 
stant  dread.  His  cheek  stung  where  flying  splinters 
had  struck  him,  but  that  was  nothing.  She  was  warm, 
her  flesh  was  warm;  then  his  searching  fingers  felt  the 
moist  blood  trickling  down  from  the  edge  of  her  hair. 
He  let  out  his  breath  slowly,  the  sudden  relief  almost 
choking  him.  It  was  bad  enough  surely,  but  not  what 
he  had  first  feared,  not  death.  She  had  been  struck 
hard  —  a  flying  splinter  of  wood,  perhaps,  or  a  de 
flected  bullet  —  her  hair  matted  with  blood,  yet  it 

84 


A  WAY  TO  THE  RIVER 

was  no  more  than  a  flesh  wound,  although  leaving  her 
unconscious.  If  he  hesitated  it  was  but  for  an  instant. 
The  entire  situation  recurred  to  him  in  a  flash;  he 
must  change  his  plans,  but  dare  waste  no  time.  If 
they  were  to  escape  it  must  be  accomplished  now, 
shadowed  by  darkness,  while  those  savage  watchers 
were  safely  beyond  sound.  His  lean  jaws  set  with 
fierce  determination,  and  he  grimly  hitched  his  belt 
forward,  one  sinewy  hand  fingering  the  revolver.  He 
would  have  to  trust  to  that  weapon  entirely  for  de 
fense;  he  could  not  carry  both  the  rifle  and  the  girl. 
Moving  slowly,  cautiously,  fearful  lest  some  creak 
ing  of  the  old  stage  might  betray  his  motions  to  those 
keen  ears  below,  he  backed  through  the  open  door. 
Once  feeling  the  ground  firm  beneath  his  feet,  and 
making  sure  that  both  canteen  and  haversack  were 
secure,  he  reached  back  into  the  darkness,  grasping  the 
form  of  the  unconscious  girl.  He  stood  erect  with  her 
held  securely  in  his  arms,  strands  of  hair  blowing 
against  his  cheek,  listening  intently,  striving  with  keen 
eyes  to  penetrate  the  black  curtain.  The  wind  was 
fortunate,  blowing  steadily  across  the  flat  from  the 
river,  and  they  were  surely  invisible  against  the  back 
ground  of  the  overhanging  bluff.  He  did  not  even 
feel  it  necessary  to  crouch  low  to  avoid  discovery. 

85 


MOLLT  MCDONALD 

He  knew  that  peril  would  confront  them  later,  when 
they  ventured  out  into  the  open.  How  light  she 
seemed,  as  though  he  clasped  a  child.  Bearing  her 
was  going  to  be  easier  than  he  had  supposed;  the  ex 
citement  yielded  him  a  new  measure  of  strength,  yet 
he  went  forward  very  slowly,  feeling  along,  inch  by 
inch,  planting  his  feet  with  exceeding  care.  The  earth 
was  hard-packed  and  would  leave  little  trail;  there 
were  no  leaves,  no  dead  grass  to  rustle.  Beyond  the 
protection  afforded  by  the  stage  he  felt  the  full  sweep 
of  the  wind  and  permitted  her  head  to  rest  lower  on 
one  arm  so  that  he  could  look  about  more  clearly. 
She  had  not  even  moaned,  although  he  had  felt  her 
breath  upon  his  face.  Once  he  stumbled  slightly  over 
some  fallen  earth,  and  farther  along  a  foot  slipped  on 
a  treacherous  stone,  but  the  slight  noise  died  unnoticed 
in  the  night.  It  was  farther  to  the  gully  than  he  had 
supposed;  his  heart  was  in  his  throat  fearing  he  had 
missed  it,  half-believing  the  depression  failed  to  extend 
to  the  base  of  the  bluff.  Then  his  foot,  exploring 
blindly,  touched  the  edge  of  the  bank.  Carefully  he 
laid  his  burden -down,  placing  his  battered  campaign 
hat  beneath  her  head.  He  bent  over  her  again,  as 
suring  himself  that  she  breathed  regularly,  and  then 
crept  down  alone  into  the  shallow  ravine. 

86 


A  WAY  TO  THE  RIVER 

His  nerves  were  like  steel  now,  his  hand  steady,  his 
heart  beating  without  an  accelerated  throb.  He  knew 
the  work,  and  rejoiced  in  it.  This  was  why  he  was  a 
soldier.  Silently,  swiftly,  he  unbuckled  his  belt,  re- 
fastening  it  across  the  straps  so  as  to  hold  canteen  and 
haversack  noiseless,  and  then,  revolver  in  hand,  began 
creeping  down  under  cover  of  the  low  banks.  He 
must  explore  the  path  first  before  attempting  to  bear 
her  along  in  his  arms;  must  be  sure  the  passage  was  un 
guarded.  After  it  swerved  to  the  right  there  would  be 
little  danger,  but  while  it  ran  straight,  some  cautious 
savage  might  have  chosen  it  to  skulk  In.  To  deal  with 
such  he  needed  to  be  alone,  and  free. 

He  must  have  crawled  thus  for  thirty  yards,  hands 
and  knees  aching  horribly,  his  eyes  ever  peering  over 
the  edge  of  the  bank,  his  ears  tingling  to  the  slightest 
noise.  The  tiny  glow  of  the  fire  far  away  to  the  left 
was  alone  visible  in  the  intense  blackness;  the  wind 
brought  to  him  no  sound  of  movement.  The  stillness 
was  profound,  almost  uncanny;  as  he  paused  and  listened 
he  could  distinguish  the  throb  of  his  heart.  He  was 
across  the  trail  at  last,  for  he  had  felt  and  traced  the 
ruts  of  wheels,  and  where  the  banks  had  been  worked 
down  almost  to  a  level  with  the  prairie.  He  crossed 
this  opening  like  a  snake,  and  then  arose  to  his  knees 

8? 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

beyond,  where  the  gully  deepened.  He  remained 
poised,  motionless,  scarcely  daring  to  breathe.  Surely 
that  was  something  else  —  that  shapeless  blotch  of 
shadow,  barely  topping  the  line  of  bank!  Was  it  ten 
feet  away?  Or  five?  He  could  not  tell.  He  stared; 
there  was  no  movement,  and  yet  his  eyes  began  to  dis 
cern  dimly  the  outlines  —  the  head  and  shoulders  of  a 
man !  The  Sergeant  crept  forward  —  an  inch,  two 
inches,  a  foot.  The  figure  did  not  stir.  Now  he  was 
sure  the  fellow's  head  was  lying  flat  on  the  turf,  oddly 
distorted  by  a  feathered  war  bonnet.  The  strange 
posture,  the  utter  lack  of  movement,  seemed  proof 
that  the  tired  warrior  had  fallen  asleep  on  watch. 
Like  a  cat  Hamlin  crept  up  slowly  toward  him,  poised 
for  a  spring. 

Some  sense  of  the  wild  must  have  stirred  the  savage 
into  semi-consciousness.  Suddenly  he  sat  up,  gripping 
the  gun  in  his  hands.  Yet  even  as  his  opening  eyes 
saw  dimly  the  Sergeant's  menacing  shadow,  before  he 
could  scream  his  alarm,  or  spring  upright,  the  revolver 
butt  struck  with  dull  thud,  and  he  went  tumbling 
backward  into  the  ditch,  his  cry  of  alarm  ending  in  a 
hoarse  croak.  From  somewhere,  out  of  the  dense 
darkness  in  front  a  voice  called,  sharp  and  guttural, 
as  if  its  owner  had  been  startled  by  the  mysterious 


A  WAY  TO  THE  RIVER 

sound  of  the  blow.  It  was  the  language  of  the 
Arapahoes,  and  out  of  his  vague  memory  of  the 
tongue,  spurred  to  recollection  by  the  swift  emergency, 
Hamlin  growled  a  hoarse  answer,  hanging  breathlessly 
above  the  motionless  body  until  the  "  ugh !  "  of  the 
fellow's  response  proved  him  without  suspicion.  He 
waited,  counting  the  seconds,  every  muscle  strained 
with  expectancy,  listening.  He  had  a  feeling  that 
some  one  was  crawling  over  the  short  grass,  wiggling 
along  like  a  snake,  but  the  faint  sound,  if  sound  it  was, 
grew  less  distinct.  Finally  he  lifted  his  head  above  the 
edge  of  the  bank,  but  saw  nothing,  not  even  a  dim 
shadow. 

"  They  are  closing  in,  I  reckon,"  he  thought  soberly, 
"  and  it  is  n't  likely  there  will  be  any  more  of  these 
gentry  as  far  back  as  this;  looks  as  though  this  gully 
turned  west  just  beyond.  Anyhow  I  Ve  got  to  risk  it." 

He  returned  more  rapidly,  knowing  the  passage, 
yet  with  no  less  caution,  finding  the  unconscious  girl 
lying  exactly  as  he  had  left  her.  As  he  clasped  her 
form  in  his  arms,  her  lips  uttered  some  incoherent 
words,  but  otherwise  she  gave  no  sign  of  life. 

'  Yes,  yes,"  he  whispered  close  to  her  ear,  hoping 
thus  to  hold  her  silent.  "It  is  all  right  now;  only 
keep  still." 

89 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

He  could  feel  her  breathing,  and  realized  the 
danger  of  her  return  to  consciousness.  If  she  should 
be  frightened  and  cry  out,  their  fate  would  be  sealed. 
Yet  he  must  accept  the  chance,  now  that  he  knew  the 
way  to  be  clear.  He  held  her  tightly  in  both  arms, 
his  revolver  thrust  back  into  its  holster.  Bending  as 
low  as  he  could  with  his  burden,  feeling  carefully 
through  the  darkness  before  advancing  a  foot,  he  moved 
steadily  forward.  Where  the  gully  deepened  their 
heads  were  at  the  edge  of  the  bank,  but  much  of  the 
way  was  exposed,  except  for  the  dark  shadows  of  the 
slope.  Fortunately  there  were  clouds  to  the  west,  al 
ready  obscuring  that  half  of  the  sky,  but  to  the  east 
nothing  was  visible  against  the  faint  luminousness  of 
the  sky-line.  Once,  far  over  there  to  the  left,  a  gun 
was  fired,  the  flame  splitting  the  night  asunder,  and 
against  the  distant  reflection  a  black  figure  rose  up 
between,  only  to  be  instantly  snuffed  out  again.  Ham- 
lin  put  down  his  uplifted  foot,  and  waited,  in  tense, 
motionless  silence,  but  nothing  happened,  except  the 
echo  of  a  far-away  voice. 

A  dozen  feet  farther,  some  four-footed  animal  sud 
denly  leaped  to  the  edge  of  the  bank,  sniffed,  and  dis 
appeared  noiselessly.  So  taut  were  his  nerves  strung 
that  the  Sergeant  sank  upon  his  knees,  releasing  one 

90 


A  WAY  TO  THE  RIVER 

hand  to  grip  his  revolver,  before  he  realized  the  cause 
of  alarm  —  some  prowling  prairie  wolf.  Then,  with 
teeth  grimly  locked,  bending  lower  and  lower,  he  crept 
across  the  rutted  trail,  and  past  the  dead  body  of  the 
Indian.  Not  until  then  did  he  dare  to  breathe  nat 
urally  or  to  stand  upright;  but  now,  the  gully,  bending 
to  the  right,  led  away  from  danger,  every  step  gained 
adding  to  their  safety.  He  was  confident  now,  full 
of  his  old  audacity,  yet  awake  to  every  trick  of  plains- 
craft.  The  girl's  head  rested  against  his  shoulder,  and 

he  bent  his  cheek  to  hers,  feeling  its  warmth.     The 

• 

touch  of  his  unshaven  beard  pricked  her  into  semi-con 
sciousness,  and  she  spoke  so  loud  that  it  gave  him  a 
thrill  of  apprehension.  He  dared  not  run  in  the  dark 
ness  for  fear  of  stumbling,  yet  moved  with  greater 
swiftness,  until  the  depression  ended  at  the  river. 
Here,  under  the  protection  of  the  bank,  Hamlin  put 
down  his  burden  and  stood  erect,  stretching  his  strained 
muscles  and  staring  back  into  the  dark. 

What  now?  Which  way  should  they  turn?  He 
had  accomplished  all  he  had  planned  for  himself  back 
there  in  the  coach,  but  now  he  became  aware  of  other 
problems  awaiting  solution.  In  less  than  an  hour  it 
would  be  daylight;  he  almost  imagined  it  was  lighter 
already  over  yonder  in  the  east.  With  the  first  dawn 

91 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

those  watchful  Indians,  creeping  cautiously  closer, 
would  discover  the  stage  deserted,  and  would  be  on 
their  trail.  And  they  had  left  a  trail  easily  followed. 
Perhaps  the  hard,  dry  ground  might  confuse  those 
savage  trackers,  but  they  would  scour  the  open  country 
between  bluff  and  river,  and  find  the  dead  warrior  in 
the  gully.  That  would  tell  the  story.  To  go  west, 
along  the  edge  of  the  river,  wading  in  the  water,  would 
be  useless  precaution;  such  a  trick  would  be  suspected 
at  once,  and  there  was  no  possibility  of  rescue  from 
that  direction.  They  might  as  well  walk  open-eyed 
into  a  trap.  There  was  but  one  hope,  one  opportunity 
—  to  cross  the  stream  before  dawn  came  and  hide 
among  those  shifting  sand-dunes  of  the  opposite  shore. 
Hamlin  thoroughly  understood  the  risk  involved,  the 
treacherous  nature  of  the  Arkansas,  the  possibility  that 
both  might  be  sucked  down  by  engulfing  quicksand, 
yet  even  such  a  lonely  death  was  preferable  to  Indian 
torture. 

The  girl  at  his  feet  stirred  and  moaned.  In  an 
other  moment  he  had  filled  his  hat  with  water  from  the 
river,  had  lifted  her  head  upon  one  arm,  and  using  the 
handkerchief  from  about  his  throat,  was  washing  away 
the  blood  that  matted  her  hair.  Now  that  his  fingers 

92 


A  WAY  TO  THE  RIVER 

felt  the  wound,  he  realized  the  force  of  the  blow  stun 
ning  her,  although  its  outward  manifestation  was 
slight.  Her  figure  trembled  in  his  arms  and  her  eyes 
opened,  gazing  up  wonderingly  at  the  black  outlines 
of  his  shadow.  Then  she  made  an  effort  as  though 
to  draw  away. 

"  Lie  still  a  while  yet,  Miss  McDonald,"  he  said 
soothingly,  "  until  you  regain  your  strength." 

He  heard  the  quick  gasp  of  her  breath,  and  felt  the 
sudden  relaxing  of  her  muscles. 

"You!"  she  exclaimed  in  undisguised  relief  at 
recognition  of  the  voice;  "is  it  really  you?  Where 
are  we?  What  has  happened?" 

He  told  her  rapidly,  his  face  bent  close,  realizing 
that  she  was  clinging  to  him  again  as  she  had  once 
before  back  in  the  stage.  As  he  ended,  she  lifted  one 
hand  to  her  wound. 

"And  I  am  not  really  hurt  —  not  seriously?"  her 
voice  bewildered.  "I  —  I  never  realized  I  had  been 
struck.  And — and  you  carried  me  all  that  way — " 
she  shuddered,  looking  about  into  the  black  silence. 
"I  —  I  can  hardly  comprehend  —  yet.  Please  ex 
plain  again;  they  are  back  there  watching  for  us  still, 
believing  we  are  in  the  coach ;  they  will  follow  our  trail 

93 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

as  soon  as  it  becomes  daylight.  Why  —  why,  the 
sky  is  brighter  over  in  the  east  already,  is  n't  it?  What 
was  it  you  said  we  must  do  ?  " 

"  Get  across  the  river;  once  hidden  in  those  sand- 
dunes  over  there  we  '11  be  safe  enough." 

"  Across  the  river,"  she  repeated  the  words  dully, 
sitting  up  to  stare  out  toward  the  water.  Then  her 
head  sank  into  her  hands.  "  Can  we  —  can  we  ever 
do  that?" 

Hamlin  bent  forward  on  his  knees,  striving  with 
keen  eyes,  sharpened  by  his  night's  experience,  to  learn 
more  of  what  lay  before  them.  The  movement,  slight 
as  it  was,  served  to  frighten  her,  and  she  grasped  him 
by  the  sleeve. 

"  Do  not  leave  me;  do  not  go  away,"  she  implored 
swiftly.  "  Whatever  you  say  is  best,  I  will  do." 


94 


CHAPTER  IX 

ACROSS   THE   RIVER 

HE  dropped  his  hand  upon  hers,  clasping  the  cling 
ing  fingers  tightly. 

"  Yes,  we  can  make  it,"  he  answered  confidently. 
"  Wait  until  I  make  sure  what  is  out  there." 

He  had  slight  recollection  of  the  stream  at  this 
point,  although  he  had  crossed  it  often  enough  at  the 
known  fords,  both  above  and  below.  Yet  these  cross 
ings  had  always  been  accomplished  with  a  horse  under 
him,  and  a  knowledge  of  where  the  trail  ran.  But  he 
knew  the  stream,  its  peculiarities  and  dangers.  It  was 
not  the  volume  of  water,  nor  its  depth  he  feared,  for 
wide  as  it  appeared  stretching  from  bank  to  bank, 
he  realized  its  shallow  sluggishness.  The  peril  lay  in 
quicksand,  or  the  plunging  into  some  unseen  hole, 
where  the  sudden  swirl  of  water  might  pull  them 
under.  Alone  he  would  have  risked  it  recklessly,  but 
with  her  added  weight  in  his  arms,  he  realized  how  a 
single  false  step  would  be  fatal.  The  farther  shore  was 
invisible ;  he  could  perceive  nothing  but  the  slight  gleam 

95 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

of  water  lapping  the  sand  at  his  feet,  as  it  flowed 
slowly,  noiselessly  past,  and  beyond,  the  dim  outline 
of  a  narrow  sand  ridge.  Even  this,  however,  was  en 
couragement,  proving  the  shallowness  of  the  stream. 
He  turned  about,  his  face  so  close  he  could  see  her 
eyes. 

"  We  shall  have  to  try  it,  Miss  McDonald;  you  must 
permit  me  to  carry  you." 

"  Yes." 

"  And  whatever  happens  do  not  scream  —  just  cling 
tight  to  me." 

1  Yes,"  a  little  catching  in  her  throat.  "  Tell  me 
first,  please,  just  what  it  is  you  fear." 

"  Quicksand  principally;  it  is  in  all  these  western 
rivers,  and  the  two  of  us  together  on  one  pair  of  feet 
will  make  it  harder  to  pull  out  of  the  suck.  If  I 
tell  you  to  get  down,  do  so  quickly." 

"  Yes." 

'  Then  there  may  be  holes  out  there  in  the  bottom. 
I  don't  mind  those  so  much,  although  these  cavalry 
boots  are  no  help  in  swimming." 

"  I  can  swim." 

"  Hardly  in  your  clothes;  but  I  am  glad  to  know  it, 
nevertheless.  You  could  keep  afloat  at  least,  and  the 
holes  are  never  very  large.  Are  you  ready  now?  " 


ACROSS  THE  RIVER 

She  gave  him  her  hands  and  stood  up.  The 
Sergeant  drew  in  a  long  breath  and  transferred  the 
haversack  to  her  shoulder. 

"  We  '11  try  and  keep  that  from  getting  soaked,  if 
we  can,"  he  explained.  "  There  is  no  hotel  over  in 
those  sand-hills.  Now  hold  on  tight." 

He  swung  her  easily  to  his  broad  shoulder,  clasp 
ing  her  slender  figure  closely  with  one  arm. 

"  That 's  it!  Now  get  a  firm  grip.  I  '11  carry  you 
all  right." 

To  the  girl,  that  passage  was  never  more  than  a 
dim  memory.  Still  partially  dazed  from  the  severe 
blow  on  her  head,  she  closed  her  eyes  as  Hamlin 
stepped  cautiously  down  into  the  stream  and  clung  to 
him  desperately,  expecting  each  moment  to  be  flung 
forward  into  the  water.  But  the  Sergeant's  mind  was 
upon  his  work,  and  every  detail  of  the  struggle  left  its 
impress  on  his  memory.  He  saw  the  dark  sweep  of 
the  water,  barely  visible  in  the  gleam  of  those  few 
stars  unobscured  by  cloud,  and  felt  the  sluggish  flow 
against  his  legs  as  he  moved.  The  bottom  was  soft, 
yet  his  feet  did  not  sink  deeply,  although  it  was  rather 
difficult  wading.  However,  the  clay  gave  him  more 
confidence  than  sand  underfoot,  and  there  was  less 
depth  of  water  even  than  he  had  anticipated.  He  was 

7  97 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

wet  only  to  the  thighs  when  he  toiled  up  on  to  the  low 
spit  of  sand,  and  put  the  girl  down  a  moment  to  catch 
a  fresh  breath  and  examine  the  broader  stretch  of  water 
ahead.  They  could  see  both  shores  now,  that  which 
they  had  just  left,  a  black,  lumping,  dim  outline.  Ex 
cept  for  the  lapping  of  the  water  at  their  feet,  all  was 
deathly  still.  Even  the  Indian  fire  had  died  out,  and 
it  was  hard  to  conceive  that  savages  were  hidden  be 
hind  that  black  veil,  and  that  they  two  were  actually 
fleeing  for  their  lives.  To  the  girl  it  was  like  some 
dreadful  delirium  of  sleep,  but  the  man  felt  the  full 
struggle.  There  was  a  star  well  down  in  the  south  he 
chose  to  guide  by,  but  beyond  that  he  must  trust  to 
good  fortune.  Without  a  word  he  lifted  her  again  to 
his  shoulder,  and  pushed  on. 

The  water  ran  deeper,  shelving  off  rapidly,  until  it 
rose  well  above  his  waist,  and  with  sufficient  current 
so  that  he  was  compelled  to  lean  against  it  to  main 
tain  balance,  scarcely  venturing  forward  a  foot  at  a 
time.  Once  he  stumbled  over  some  obstruction,  barely 
averting  a  fall;  he  felt  the  swift  clutch  of  her  fingers 
at  his  throat,  the  quick  adjustment  of  her  body,  but  her 
lips  gave  no  utterance  of  alarm.  His  groping  feet 
touched  the  edge  of  a  hole,  and  he  turned,  facing  the 
current,  tracing  his  way  carefully  until  he  found  a 

98 


ACROSS  THE  RIVER 

passage  on  solid  bottom.  A  bit  of  driftwood  swirled 
down  out  of  the  night;  a  water-soaked  limb,  striking 
against  him  before  it  was  even  seen,  bruised  one  arm, 
and  then  dodged  past  like  a  wild  thing,  leaving  a  glitter 
of  foam  behind.  The  sand-dunes  grew  darker,  more 
distinct,  the  water  began  to  grow  shallow,  the  bottom 
changing  from  mud  to  sand.  He  slipped  and  staggered 
in  the  uncertain  footing,  his  breath  coming  in  quicker 
gasps,  yet  with  no  cessation  of  effort.  Once  he  felt  the 
dreaded  suck  about  his  ankles,  and  broke  into  a  reck 
less  run,  splashing  straight  forward,  falling  at  the 
water's  edge,  yet  not  before  the  girl  was  resting  safely 
on  the  soft  sand. 

Strong  as  Hamlin  was,  his  muscles  trained  by  strenu 
ous  out-door  life,  he  lay  there  for  a  moment  utterly 
helpless,  more  exhausted  from  the  nervous  strain  in 
deed,  than  the  physical  exertion.  He  had  realized 
fully  the  desperate  nature  of  that  passage,  expecting 
every  step  to  be  engulfed,  and  the  reaction,  the  knowl 
edge  that  they  had  actually  attained  the  shore  safely, 
left  him  weak  as  a  child,  hardly  able  to  comprehend  the 
fact.  The  girl  was  upon  her  feet  first,  alarmed  and 
solicitous,  bending  down  to  touch  him  with  her  hand. 

"Sergeant,  you  are  not  hurt?"  she  questioned. 
"  Tell  me  you  are  not  hurt?  " 

99 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  Oh,  no,"  dragging  himself  up  the  bank,  yet  pant 
ing  as  he  endeavored  to  speak  cheerfully.  "  Only  that 
was  a  rather  hard  pull,  the  last  of  it,  and  I  am  short  of 
breath.  I  shall  be  all  right  in  a  moment." 

There  was  a  sand-dune  just  beyond,  and  he  seated 
himself  and  leaned  against  it. 

"  I  am  beginning  to  breathe  easier  already,"  he  ex 
plained.  "  Sit  down  here,  Miss  McDonald.  We  are 
safe  enough  now  in  this  darkness." 

'  You  are  all  wet,  soaking  wet." 

'*  That  is  nothing ;  the  sand  is  warm  yet  from  yester 
day's  sun,  and  my  clothes  will  dry  fast  enough.  It  is 
beginning  to  grow  light  in  the  east." 

The  faces  of  both  turned  in  that  direction  where 
appeared  the  first  twilight  approach  of  dawn.  Al 
ready  were  visible  the  dark  lines  of  the  opposite  shore, 
across  the  gleam  of  water,  and  beyond  appeared  the 
dim  outlines  of  the  higher  bluffs.  The  slope  between 
river  and  hill,  however,  remained  in  impenetrable 
darkness.  The  minds  of  both  fugitives  reverted  to  the 
same  scene  —  the  wrecked  stage  with  its  dead  pas 
sengers  within,  its  savage  watchers  without.  She 
lifted  her  head,  and  the  soft  light  reflected  on  her  face. 

"I  —  I  thank  God  we  are  not  over  there  now,"  she 
said  falteringly. 

100 


ACROSS  THE  RIVER 

"  Yes,"  he  admitted.  "  They  will  be  creeping  in 
closer;  they  will  not  wait  much  longer.  Hard  as  I 
have  worked,  I  can't  realize  yet  that  we  are  out  of 
those  toils." 

"  You  did  not  expect  to  succeed?  " 

"  No;  frankly  I  did  not;  all  I  could  do  was  hope  — 
take  the  one  chance  left.  The  slightest  accident  meant 
betrayal.  I  am  ashamed  of  being  so  weak  just  now,  but 
it  was  the  strain.  You  see,"  he  explained  carefully, 
"  I  Ve  been  scouting  through  hostile  Indian  country 
mostly  day  and  night  for  nearly  a  week,  and  then  this 
thing  happened.  No  matter  how  iron  a  man  is  his 
nerve  goes  back  on  him  after  a  while." 

"  I  know." 

"  It  was  n't  myself,"  he  went  on  doggedly,  "  but  it 
was  the  knowledge  of  having  to  take  care  of  you. 
That  was  what  made  me  worry;  that,  and  knowing  a 
single  misstep,  the  slightest  noise,  would  bring  those 
devils  on  us,  where  I  couldn't  fight,  where  there  was 
just  one  thing  I  could1  do." 

There  was  silence,  her  hands  pressed  to  her  face, 
her  eyes  fixed  on  him.  Then  she  questioned  him 
soberly. 

"You  mean,  kill  me?" 

"  Sure,"  he  answered  simply,  without  looking 

101 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

around;  "  I  would  have  had  to  do  it  —  just  as  though 
you  were  a  sister  of  mine." 

Her  hands  reached  out  and  clasped  his,  and  he 
glanced  aside  at  her  face,  seeing  it  clearly. 

"I  —  I  thought  you  would,"  she  said,  her  voice 
trembling.  "I  —  I  was  going  to  ask  you  once  before 
I  was  hurt,  but  —  but  I  could  n't,  and  somehow  I 
trusted  you  from  the  first,  when  you  got  in."  She 
hesitated,  and  then  asked,  "  How  did  you  know  I  was 
Molly  McDonald?  You  never  asked." 

The  Sergeant's  eyes  smiled,  turning  away  from  her 
face  to  stare  out  again  across  the  river. 

"  Because  I  had  seen  your  picture." 

"  My  picture?  But  you  told  us  you  were  from  Fort 
Union?" 

"Yes;  that  is  my  station,  only  I  had  been  sent  to 
the  cantonment  on  the  Cimarron  with  despatches. 
Your  father  was  in  command  there,  and  worried  half 
to  death  about  you.  He  could  not  leave  the  post,  and 
the  only  officer  remaining  there  with  him  was  a  dis 
abled  cavalry  captain.  Every  man  he  could  trust  was 
out  on  scouting  service.  He  took  a  chance  on  me. 
Maybe  he  liked  my  looks,  I  don't  know;  more  prob 
ably,  he  judged  I  would  n't  be  a  sergeant  and  entrusted 
with  those  despatches  I  'd  just  brought  in,  if  I  was  n't 

102 


ACROSS  THE  RIVER 

considered  trustworthy.  Anyhow  I  had  barely  fallen 
asleep  when  the  orderly  called  me,  and  that  was  what 
was  wanted  —  that  I  ride  north  and  head  you  off." 

"But  you  were  not  obliged  to  go?" 

"  No ;  I  was  not  under  your  father's  orders.  I 
doubt  if  I  would  have  consented  if  I  had  n't  been  shown 
your  picture.  I  could  n't  very  well  refuse  then." 

She  sat  with  hands  clasped  together,  her  eyes 
shadowed  by  long  lashes. 

"  I  should  have  thought  there  would  have  been 
some  soldiers  there  —  his  own  men." 

"  There  were,"  dryly,  "  but  the  army  just  now  is 
recruited  out  of  pretty  tough  material.  To  be  in  the 
ranks  is  almost  a  confession  of  good-for-nothingness. 
You  are  an  officer's  daughter  and  understand  this  to  be 
true." 

"  Yes,"  she  answered  doubtfully.  "  I  have  been 
brought  up  thinking  so;  only,  of  course,  there  are  ex 
ceptions." 

"  No  doubt,  and  I  hope  I  am  already  counted 
one." 

'  You  know  you  are.     My  father  trusted  you,  and 
so  do  I." 

"  I  have  wondered  some  times,"  he  said  musingly, 
watching  her  face  barely  visible  in  the  dawn,  "  whether 

103 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

those  of  your  class  actually  considered  us  as  being  really 
human,  as  anything  more  valuable  than  mere  food  for 
powder.  I  came  into  the  regular  army  at  the  close 
of  the  war  from  the  volunteer  service.  I  was  ac 
customed  to  discipline  and  all  that,  and  knew  my  place. 
But  I  never  suspected  then  that  a  private  soldier  was 
considered  a  dog.  Yet  that  was  the  first  lesson  I  was 
compelled  to  learn.  It  has  been  pretty  hard  sometimes 
to  hold  in,  for  there  was  a  time  when  I  had  some  so 
cial  standing  and  could  resent  an  insult." 

She  was  looking  straight  at  him,  surprised  at  the  bit 
terness  in  his  voice. 

'  They  carry  it  altogether  too  far,"  she  said.  "  I 
have  often  thought  that  —  mostly  the  young  officers, 
the  West  Pointers  —  and  yet  you  know  that  the  major 
ity  of  enlisted  men  are  —  well,  dragged  from  the  slums. 
My  father  says  it  has  been  impossible  to  recruit  a  good 
class  since  the  war  closed,  that  the  right  kind  had  all 
the  army  they  wanted." 

"  Which  is  true  enough,  but  there  are  good  men 
nevertheless,  and  every  commander  knows  it.  A  lit 
tle  considerate  treatment  would  make  them  better 
still." 

She  shook  her  head  questioningly. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  she  admitted.  "  I  suppose  there 

104 


ACROSS  THE  RIVER 

are  two  viewpoints.  You  were  in  the  volunteers,  you 
said.  Why  did  you  enlist  in  the  regulars?  " 

"  Largely  because  I  liked  soldiering,  or  thought  I 
did.  I  knew  there  would  be  plenty  of  fighting  out 
here,  and,  I  believed,  advancement." 

"  You  mean  to  a  commission?  " 

"  Yes.  You  see,  I  did  not  understand  then  the  im 
possibility,  the  great  gulf  fixed.  I  dreamed  that  good 
fortune  might  give  me  something  to  do  worth  while." 

"  And  fate  has  been  unkind?" 

"  In  a  way,  yes,"  and  he  laughed  rather  grimly.  "  I 
had  my  chance  —  twice ;  honorable  mention,  and  all 
that,  but  that  ended  it.  There  is  no  bridge  across  the 
*  chasm.  An  enlisted  man  is  not  held  fit  for  any  higher 
position;  if  that  was  not  sufficient  to  bar  me,  the  fact 
that  I  had  fought  for  the  South  would." 

"You  were  in  the  Confederate  army?  You  must 
have  been  very  young." 

"  Oh,  no;  little  more  than  a  boy,  of  course,  but  so 
were  the  majority  of  my  comrades.  I  was  in  my  senior 
college  year  when  the  war  broke  out.  But,  Miss  Mc 
Donald,  this  will  never  do !  See  how  light  it  is  grow 
ing.  There,  they  have  begun  firing  already.  We 
must  get  back  out  of  sight  behind  the  sand-dunes." 


105 


CHAPTER  X 

THE   RIPENING  OF   ACQUAINTANCE 

THEY  needed  to  retire  but  a  few  steps  to  be  en 
tirely  concealed,  yet  so  situated  as  to  command 
a  view  across  the  muddy  stream.  The  sun  had  not 
risen  above  the  horizon,  but  the  gray  dawn  gave  misty 
revealment  of  the  sluggish-flowing  river,  the  brown 
slope  opposite,  and  the  darker  shadow  of  bluffs  be 
yond.  The  popping  of  those  distant  guns  had  ceased 
by  the  time  they  attained  their  new  position,  and  they 
could  distinguish  the  Indians  —  mere  black  dots  against 
the  brown  slope  —  advancing  in  a  semicircle  toward 
the  silent  stage.  Evidently  they  were  puzzled,  fear 
ful  of  some  trickery,  for  occasionally  a  gun  would  era cjc 
viciously,  the  brown  smoke  plainly  visible,  the  ad 
vancing  savages  halting  to  observe  the  effect.  Then 
a  bright  colored  blanket  was  waved  aloft  as  though  in 
signal,  and  the  entire  body,  converging  toward  the  de 
serted  coach,  leaped  forward  with  a  wild  yell,  which 
echoed  faintly  across  the  water. 

1 06 


THE  RIPENING  OF  ACQUAINTANCE 

The  girl  hid  her  face  in  the  sand,  with  a  half-stifled 
sob,  but  the  Sergeant  watched  grimly,  his  eyes  barely 
above  the  ridge.  What  would  they  do  when  they  dis 
covered  the  dead  bodies?  —  when  they  realized  that 
others  had  eluded  their  vigilance  during  the  night? 
Would  they  be  able  to  trace  them,  or  would  his  ruse 
succeed?  Of  course  their  savage  cunning  would  track 
them  as  far  as  the**river  —  there  was  no  way  in  which 
he  could  have  successfully  concealed  the  trail  made 
down  the  gully,  or  the  marks  left  on  the  sandy  bank. 
But  would  they  imagine  he  had  dared  to  cross  the 
broad  stream,  burdened  with  the  girl,  confronting  al- 
ML  most  certain  death  in  the  quicksand?  Would  they  not 
believe  rather  that  he  had  waded  along  the  water's 
edge  headed  west,  hoping  thus  to  escape  to  the  bluffs, 
where  some  hiding-place  might  be  found?  Even  if 
they  suspected  a  crossing,  would  any  warriors  among 
them  be  reckless  enough  to  follow?  Would  they  not 
be  more  apt  to  believe  that  both  fugitives  had  been 
sucked  down  into  the  treacherous  stream?  Almost 
breathless  Hamlin  watched,  these  thoughts  coursing 
through  his  mind,  realizing  the  deadly  trap  in  which 
they  were  caught,  if  the  Indians  suspected  the  truth 
and  essayed  the  passage.  Behind  them  was  sand, 
ridge  after  ridge,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  discern,  and 

107 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

every  step  they  took  in  flight  would  leave  its  plain 
trail.     And  now  the  test  was  at  hand. 

He  saw  them  crowd  about  the  coach,  leaping  and 
yelling  with  fury;  watched  them  jerk  open  the  door, 
and  drag  forth  the  two  dead  bodies,  dancing  about 
them,  like  so  many  demons,  brandishing  their  guns. 
A  moment  they  were  bunched  thus,  their  wild  yelling 
shrill  with  triumph;  then  some  among  them  broke 
away,  bending  low  as  they  circled  in  against  the  bluff. 
They  knew  already  that  there  had  been  others  in  the 
stage,  others  who  had  escaped.  They  were  seeking 
the  trail.  Suddenly  one  straightened  up  gesticulating, 
and  the  others  rushed  toward  him  —  they  had  found 
the  "  sign  "  !  They  were  silent  now,  those  main  trail 
ers,  two  of  them  on  hands  and  knees.  Only  back 
where  the  bodies  lay  some  remained  yelling  and  dancing 
furiously.  Then  they  also,  in  response  to  a  shout  and 
the  wave  of  a  blanketed  arm,  scattered,  running  west 
toward  the  gully.  There  was  no  hesitancy  now;  some 
savage  instinct  seemed  to  tell  them  where  the  fugitives 
had  gone.  They  dragged  the  dead  warrior  from  the 
ditch,  screaming  savagely  at  the  discovery.  A  dozen 
scrambled  for  the  river  bank,  others  ran  for  the  pony 
herd,  while  one  or  two  remained  beside  the  dead  war 
rior.  Even  at  that  distance  Hamlin  could  distinguish 

108 


!*-~J»<  - 


'  No,  don't  move !    The  stage  has  been  gutted  and  set 
on  fire." 


THE  RIPENING  OF  ACQUAINTANCE 

Roman  Nose,  and  tell  what  were  his  orders  by  every 
gesture  of  his  arm.  The  Sergeant  grasped  the  girl's 
hand,  his  own  eyes  barely  above  the  sand  ridge,  his  lips 
whispering  back. 

"  No,  don't  move ;  I  '11  tell  you  everything.  The 
stage  has  been  gutted  and  set  on  fire.  Now  they  are 
coming  with  the  ponies.  Most  of  them  are  directly 
opposite  studying  the  marks  we  left  on  the  sand  of  the 
bank.  Yes,  they  look  across  here,  but  the  chief  is 
sure  we  have  gone  the  other  way;  he  is  waving  his 
hand  up  the  river  now,  and  talking.  Now  he  is  get 
ting  on  his  horse;  there  are  ten  or  twelve  of  them. 
One  fellow  is  pointing  across  here,  but  no  one  agrees 
with  him.  Now  Roman  Nose  is  giving  orders.  Hear 
that  yell !  They  're  off  now,  riding  up  stream,  lashing 
their  ponies  into  a  run.  All  of  them?  No;  quite  a 
bunch  are  going  back  to  the  coach.  I  don't  believe 
they  are  going  to  hang  around  here  long  though,  for 
they  are  driving  in  all  their  ponies." 

"  But  won't  those  others  come  back  when  they  dis 
cover  we  have  not  gone  up  the  river?  " 

"  I  wish  I  could  answer  that,"  he  replied  earnestly. 
"  But  it  all  depends  on  what  those  devils  know  of  the 
whereabouts  of  troops.  They  are  Northern  Indians, 
and  must  have  broken  through  the  scouting  details  sent 

109 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

out  from  Wallace  and  Dodge.  Some  of  the  boys  are 
bound  to  be  after  them,  and  there  is  more  chance  for 
them  to  get  back  safely  along  the  mountains  than  in 
the  other  direction.  I  don't  suppose  an  Indian  in  the 
bunch  was  ever  south  of  the  Arkansas.  Wait !  Those 
fellows  are  going  to  move  now ;  going  for  good,  too  — 
they  are  taking  the  dead  Indians  with  them." 

They  were  little  more  than  black  dots  at  that  dis 
tance,  yet  the  sun  was  up  by  this  time  and  his  keen 
vision  could  distinguish  every  movement. 

"  Creep  up  here,  and  you  can  see  also,"  he  said 
quietly.  "  They  are  far  enough  away  now  so  that  it 
is  safe." 

There  was  a  moment  of  breathless  quiet,  the  two 
fugitives  peering  cautiously  over  the  sand  ridge.  To 
the  girl  it  was  a  confusion  of  figures  rushing  back  and 
forth  about  the  smoking  ruins  of  the  stage;  occasion 
ally  a  faint  yell  echoed  across  the  river,  and  she  could 
distinguish  a  savage  on  his  pony  gesticulating  as  he 
rode  back  and  forth.  But  the  Sergeant  comprehended 
the  scene.  His  eyes  met  hers  and  read  her  bewilder 
ment. 

"  They  are  going  all  right,  and  in  a  hurry.  It 's 
plain  enough  they  are  afraid  to  stay  there  any  longer. 
See,  they  are  lashing  bodies  on  to  the  ponies.  Ah, 

no 


THE  RIPENING  OF  ACQUAINTANCE 

that  is  what  I  wanted  to  be  sure  about  —  that  fellow  is 
heading  west  on  the  trail;  now  the  others  are  mov 
ing." 

"Then  you  are  sure  Roman  Nose  will  not  return? 
That  —  that  we  are  safe?  " 

<Jr 

"  Yes;  I  would  n't  hesitate  to  go  back  as  soon  as  the 
last  of  them  disappear  over  the  ridge,"  pointing  up 
the  river.  "  They  knew  they  had  to  go  that  way ; 
Roman  Nose  and  his  band  hoped  we  'd  taken  that  di 
rection,  and  hurried  on  ahead  to  catch  us  if  he  could. 
They  are  afraid  to  stay  about  here  any  longer.  Look 
how  they  are  lashing  those  ponies;  there,  the  last  of 
them  are  leaving." 

They  lay  there  in  the  sand,  already  becoming  warm 
under  the  rays  of  the  sun,  trying  to  assure  themselves 
that  all  danger  of  discovery  had  vanished.  There  was 
no  movement  on  the  opposite  shore,  only  the  blue  spiral 
of  smoke  curling  up  against  the  bluff,  marking  where 
the  stage  had  stood.  About  this,  outlined  upon  the 
brown  grass,  appeared  darker  patches  representing 
dead  ponies  and  the  bodies  of  Moylan  and  Gonzales 
where  they  had  been  tumbled,  scalped  and  otherwise 
mutilated.  Down  by  the  river  a  wounded  pony  tried 
to  follow  the  disappearing  cavalcade,  but  fell,  giving 
vent  to  one  scream  of  agony.  Then  all  was  silent, 

in 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

motionless,  the  last  straggler  clubbing  his  horse  piti 
lessly  as  he  vanished  over  the  ridge. 

Hamlin  sat  up,  his  eyes  smiling. 

!{  We  are  the  lucky  ones,  Miss  McDonald,"  he  said, 
his  manner  unconsciously  more  formal  now  that  the 
danger  had  passed  and  a  swift  realization  of  who  his 
companion  was  recurring  to  his  mind.  "  Something 
must  have  frightened  them."  He  shaded  his  eyes, 
staring  at  the  bluffs  opposite,  "  But  there  is  nothing  in 
sight  from  here.  Well,  the  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to 
eat  breakfast.  May  I  have  the  haversack,  and  see 
what  it  is  stocked  with?  " 

"  Certainly  not.  There  is  so  little  I  can  do,  I  do 
not  propose  yielding  any  prerogative."  And  she  drew 
her  head  through  the  strap,  letting  the  leather  bag  fall 
to  the  sand.  "  I  am  afraid  there  is  no  cloth  here. 
Would  you  dare  light  a  fire?  " 

"  Hardly,  even  if  we  had  fuel,"  he  answered,  watch 
ing  her  with  interest.  She  glanced  up  into  his  face, 
her  cheeks  reddening. 

"  Why  don't  you  want  me  to  do  this?  " 

"How  do  you  know  I  object?  Indeed,  it  is  quite 
pleasant  to  be  waited  upon.  Only,  you  see,  it  is  very 
unusual  for  an  officer's  daughter  to  take  such  good  care 
of  an  enlisted  man." 

112 


THE  RIPENING  OF  ACQUAINTANCE 

"  But  I  am  not  thinking  of  that  at  all.  You  —  this 
is  different." 

"  For  the  moment,  perhaps,"  j.ust  a  slight  bitterness 
in  his  tone,  "  and  I  should  enjoy  it  while  I  can." 

She  stopped  in  her  work,  sitting  straight  before  him. 
Her  eyes  were  indignant,  yet  she  stifled  the  first  words 
that  leaped  to  her  lips.  His  soft  hat  lay  on  the  sand 
and  the  sun  revealed  his  tanned  face,  bringing  out  its 
strength. 

"You  —  shouldn't  say  that,"  she  faltered. 
"  Surely  you  do  not  believe  I  will  ever  become  ungrate 
ful." 

"No;  and  yet  gratitude  is  not  altogether  satisfac 
tory."  He  hesitated.  "  It  is  hard  to  explain  just 
what  I  mean  to  you,  for  you  do  not  realize  the  life  we 
lead  out  here  —  the  loneliness  of  it.  Even  a  man  in 
the  ranks  may  possess  the  desires  of  a  human  being. 
I  —  well,  I  'm  hungry  for  the  companionship  of  a  good 
woman.  Don't  misunderstand,  Miss  McDonald.  I 
am  not  presuming,  nor  taking  advantage  of  the  acci 
dent  which  has  placed  us  in  this  peculiar  position,  but 
I  have  been  a  trooper  out  here  now  a  long  while,  sta 
tioned  at  little  isolated  frontier  posts,  riding  the  great 
plains,  doing  the  little  routine  duties  of  soldiering.  I 
have  n't  spoken  to  a  decent  woman  on  terms  of  social 

"3 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

equality  for  two  years;  I  Ve  looked  at  a  few  from  a 
distance  and  taken  orders  from  them.  But  they  have 
glanced  through  me  as  though  I  were  something  inani 
mate  instead  of  a  man.  I  saved  an  officer's  life  once 
down  there,"  and  he  pointed  into  the  southeast,  "  and 
his  wife  thanked  me  as  though  it  were  a  disagreeable 
duty.  I  reckon  you  don't  understand,  but  I  don't  like 
the  word  gratitude." 

"  But  I  do  understand,"  and  she  stretched  out  her 
hand  to  him  across  the  opened  haversack.  "  I  'm  not 
so  dull,  and  it  must  be  awful  to  feel  alone  like  that.  I 
told  you  I  —  I  liked  you,  and  —  I  do.  Now  remem 
ber  that,  please,  and  be  good.  From  now  on  I  am 
not  Major  McDonald's  daughter,  not  even  Miss  Mc 
Donald —  I  'm  just  Molly  McDonald." 

The  gray  eyes  laughed. 

"  You  are  assuming  a  great  risk." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  her  forehead  wrinkling  a  little, 
but  her  eyes  bright.  "  You  and  I  can  be  friends  — 
can't  we?" 

"  We  '11  try,  out  here,  at  least.  Even  if  the  dream 
does  n't  last  long,  it  will  be  pleasant  to  remember." 

"  You  do  not  think  it  will  last,  then?  " 

He  shook  his  head. 

114 


THE  RIPENING  OF  ACQUAINTANCE 

"  I  would  be  a  fool  to  hope ;  I  have  been  in  the  army 
too  long." 

They  were  still  for  a  minute,  the  girl's  fingers  toying 
with  the  flap  of  the  haversack,  her  eyes  gazing  across 
the  river.  He  thought  they  were  misty. 

"  I  am  sorry  you  are  so  prejudiced,"  she  said  at  last 
slowly,  "  for  I  am  not  like  that  at  all.  I  am  not  going 
to  be  ashamed  of  a  friend  because  he  —  he  is  in  the 
ranks.  I  shall  be  only  the  more  proud.  What  is  your 
full  name  ?  " 

He  passed  his  hand  over  his  hair,  and  laughed. 

"  They  call  me  {  Brick  '  Hamlin  —  a  subtle  refer 
ence  to  this  crown  of  glory." 

"  But  it  is  n't  red,"  she  insisted  swiftly.  "  Only  it 
shows  a  little  bright  with  the  sun  on  it,  and  I  am  not 
going  to  call  you  that.  I  don't  like  nicknames.  What 
did  they  call  you  before  you  went  into  the  army? 
When  —  when  you  did  know  good  women?  " 

The  Sergeant  bent  his  head,  and  then  lifted  his  gray 
eyes  to  the  girl's  face. 

"  I  had  almost  forgotten,"  he  confessed,  "  but  I  '11 
tell  you  —  David  Carter  Hamlin ;  there,  you  have  all 
of  it  —  my  mother  called  me  Dave  —  could  you, 
once?" 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"Could  I?"  laughingly.     "Why,  of  course;  now, 

Dave,  we  will  have  breakfast." 

"  And  I  am  quite  ready  for  it  —  Molly." 

The  girl's  cheeks  reddened,  but  their  eyes  met,  and 

both  laughed. 


116 


CHAPTER  XI 

A   REMEMBRANCE   OF   THE    PAST 

MOYLAN  must  have  had  Miss  McDonald  in  mind 
when  he  had  stocked  up  with  food  at  Fort 
Dodge,  and  had  therefore  chosen  all  the  delicacies  to 
be  found  at  that  frontier  post.  These  were  not  exten 
sive,  consisting  largely  of  canned  goods,  which,  never 
theless,  made  a  brave  show,  and  were  clearly  enough 
not  the  ordinary  fare  of  the  border.  Hamlin  had  to 
smile  at  the  array,  but  Molly  handled  each  article 
almost  with  reverence,  tears  dimming  her  eyes  in  mem 
ory. 

"  He  —  he  bought  these  for  me,"  she  said  softly, 
and  looking  across  reproachfully  at  the  Sergeant.  "  It 
was  the  best  he  could  do." 

"  I  was  not  laughing  at  poor  Moylan ;  only,  I  fear, 
he  had  a  wrong  conception  of  a  girl's  needs  on  the 
trail.  But  I  reckon  our  combined  appetites  are  equal 
to  it." 

"  I  do  not  feel  as  though  I  could  swallow  a  mouth 
ful." 

117 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  Under  orders  you  will  try.  We  have  a  hard  day 
before  us,  young  lady,  and  some  tramping  to  do  afoot. 
I  wish  I  knew  where  that  horse  I  turned  loose  last 
night  has  drifted  to;  into  the  bluffs,  probably,  where 
the  grass  is  green.  He  would  be  of  some  help  just 
now.  Try  this,  Miss  McDonald,  for  lack  of  some 
thing  better.  I  yearn  for  ham  and  coffee,  but  hardly 
dare  build  a  fire  yet.  The  smoke  would  be  seen  for 
miles  away." 

"  If  we  were  across  the  river  we  could  use  the  stage 
fire." 

'  Yes,  but  there  is  a  wide  river  flowing  between. 
Don't  be  afraid  of  that  trip,"  noting  the  expression  of 
her  face.  "  It  will  be  easy  enough  to  cross  back  by 
daylight,  now  that  I  know  where  the  danger  spots  are." 

"  I  was  not  so  terribly  afraid  last  night;  I  hardly  had 
time  to  realize  what  was  being  done,  did  you?  " 

'  Well,  yes;  it  was  risky  business.  Awfully  treach 
erous  bottom  and  I  was  trusting  to  good  luck." 

The  Sergeant  ate  heartily,  speaking  occasionally  so 
as  to  divert  her  mind,  but  for  the  most  part,  busily 
thinking  and  endeavoring  to  decide  his  next  move.  He 
sat  facing  the  river,  continually  lifting  his  head  to  scan 
the  opposite  shore.  There  was  probably  a  scouting 
detail  somewhere  near  at  hand,  either  approaching 

118 


A  REMEMBRANCE  OF  THE  PAST 

from  the  east,  alarmed  by  the  report  of  the  fleeing 
stage  crew,  or  else  a  detachment  tracking  Roman 
Nose's  warriors  across  those  plains  extending  into  the 
north.  The  latter  contingency  was  the  more  prob 
able,  judging  from  the  Indians'  flight,  and  his  own 
knowledge  of  the  small  reserve  force  left  at  Dodge. 
Besides,  ride  as  they  might  those  two  fleeing  cowards 
of  yesterday  could  hardly  have  yet  reached  that  shel 
ter  of  safety  and  might  not  confess  the  truth  of  their 
desertion  even  when  they  did  arrive.  A  pursuing 
force  was  the  only  real  hope  for  escaping  the  necessity 
of  a  hard  tramp  back  over  the  trail.  Well,  the  girl 
looked  fit,  and  he  glanced  toward  her  appreciatively. 

In  spite  of  the  sad  experiences  of  the  past  night  she 
was  a  pleasant  spectacle,  her  eyes  bright  with  excite 
ment,  her  cheeks  flushed  under  the  morning  sun  which 
flecked  her  dark,  disordered  hair  with  odd  color. 
Hers  was  a  winsome  face,  with  smiling  lips,  and  frank 
good  nature  in  its  contour.  He  was  surprised  to  note 
how  fresh  and  well  she  looked. 

"Are  you  tired?" 

"  Not  very.  It  seems  more  as  though  I  had  dreamed 
all  this  than  actually  passed  through  the  experience. 
Perhaps  when  I  do  realize,  the  reaction  will  set  in. 
But  now  I  am  strong,  and  —  and  not  at  all  frightened." 

119 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"Nor  hungry?" 

"It  is  hard  to  eat,  but  I  am  often  that  way."  Her 
hand  strayed  to  the  emptied  haversack,  and  she  turned 
it  carelessly  over,  where  it  lay  beside  her  on  the  sand. 
"Why,  this  is  an  old  Confederate  sack,  isn't  it?  I 
hadn't  noticed  before;  see,  the  '  C.  S.  A.'  is  on  the 
flap." 

"  So  it  is;  perhaps  Moylan  served  in  the  South." 

"  I  think  not.  I  am  sure  this  was  never  his,  for  he 
bought  it  at  Dodge.  I  remember  he  told  me  he  would 
have  to  find  something  to  carry  our  lunch  in."  She 
pushed  the  flap  farther  back,  then  held  it  up  to  the 
sunlight.  ;<  There  are  some  other  letters,  but  they  are 
hardly  decipherable.  I  cannot  read  the  first  line  at 
all,  but  the  second  is  somewhat  plainer  — *  Fourth 
Texas  Infantry.' ' 

Hamlin  reached  out  his  hand  swiftly,  and  grasped 
the  haversack,  forgetting  everything  else  in  suddenly 
aroused  interest.  The  girl,  surprised,  stared  up  into 
his  face,  as  he  closely  studied  the  faded  inscription,  his 
face  expressing  unconcealed  amazement. 

"  Good  God !  "  he  ejaculated  breathlessly.  "  It  was 
Gene's.  What  can  this  mean?  " 

"  You  —  you  knew  the  soldier?  " 

"  Knew  him?  Yes,"  speaking  almost  unconsciously, 

1 20 


A  REMEMBRANCE  OF  THE  PAST 

his  incredulous  eyes  still  on  the  inscription,  as  though 
fearful  it  might  vanish.  '  That  man  was  either  my 
best  friend,  or  my  worst  enemy;  under  heaven,  I  know 
not  which.  Why,  it  is  like  a  miracle,  the  finding  of 
this  bag  out  here  in  the  desert.  It  is  the  clue  I  have 
been  searching  after  for  nearly  five  years."  He  seemed 
to  pull  himself  together  with  an  effort,  realizing  her 
presence.  "  Excuse  me,  Miss  McDonald,  but  this 
thing  knocked  me  silly.  I  hardly  knew  what  I  was 
saying." 

"  It  means  much  to  you?     To  your  life?  " 

"  Everything,  if  I  can  only  trace  it  back,  and  thus 
discover  the  present  whereabouts  of  the  original 
owner." 

"  Was  that  your  regiment,  then  —  the  Fourth  Texas 
Infantry?  " 

He  bowed  his  head,  now  looking  frankly  at  her. 

"  Would  you  mind  telling  me  your  rank?  " 

"  I  became  Captain  of  '  B  '  Company  after  the  fight 
at  Chancellorsville ;  we  served  in  Virginia  under  Massa 
Robert,  and  lost  every  commissioned  officer  in  that  af 
fair."  He  hesitated  to  go  on,  but  she  prompted  him 
by  a  question : 

"And  then  what?  What  was  it  that  happened? 
Don't  be  afraid  to  tell  me." 

121 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

His  gray  eyes  met  hers,  and  then  turned  away,  his 
lips  pressed  together. 

"  Nothing  until  the  day  we  fought  at  Fisher's  Hill," 
he  said  slowly.  '  Then  I  was  dismissed  from  the  serv 
ice  —  for  cowardice." 

"Cowardice!"  repeating  the  word  in  quick  pro 
test.  "Why,  how  could  that  be?  Surely  your  cour 
age  had  been  sufficiently  tested  before?  " 

"  Cowardice,  and  disobedience  of  orders,"  he  re 
peated  dully,  "  after  I  had  been  under  fire  almost  night 
and  day  for  three  years;  after  I  had  risen  from  the 
ranks  and  commanded  the  regiment." 

"  And  you  had  no  defence?  " 

"  No ;  at  least,  none  I  could  use ;  this  man  might  have 
saved  me,  but  he  did  not,  and  I  never  knew  why." 

"Who  was  he?" 

"My  senior  captain,  detailed  on  Early's  staff;  he 
brought  me  the  orders  verbally  I  was  afterwards  ac 
cused  of  disobeying.  I  was  temporarily  in  command 
of  the  regiment  that  day  with  rank  as  major.  There 
was  a  mistake  somewhere,  and  we  were  horribly  cut 
up,  and  a  number  taken  prisoners.  It  was  my  word 
against  his,  and  —  and  he  lied." 

She  took  the  haversack  from  him,  studying  the 
scarcely  legible  inscription. 

122 


A  REMEMBRANCE  OF  THE  PAST 

"  '  E.  L.  F.'     Are  those  the  letters  ?  " 

"  Yes;  they  stand  for  Eugene  Le  Fevre;  he  was  of 
French  descent,  his  home  in  New  Orleans." 

"  You  knew  him  well?  " 

"  I  thought  so;  we  were  at  school  together  and  after 
wards  in  the  army." 

She  looked  across  at  him  again,  touched  by  the  ten 
der  echo  of  his  voice;  then  leaned  forward  and  placed 
one  hand  upon  his. 

"  You  have  not  spoken  about  this  for  a  long  while, 
have  you  ?  " 

"  No,"   his    eyes   lighting   up    pleasantly,    "  hardly 
thought  of  it,  except  sometimes  alone  at  night.     The 
memory  made  me  savage,  and  all  my  efforts  to  ascer 
tain  the  truth  have  proven  useless." 
'  That  is  why  you  enlisted?  " 

"  Largely;  there  is  no  better  place  to  hide  one's  past 
than  in  the  ranks  out  here  on  the  plains.  I  —  I  could 
not  remain  at  home  with  that  disgrace  hanging  over 
me." 

"  You  must  tell  me  all  about  it." 

Her  head  lifted  suddenly  as  she  gazed  out  across 
the  river,  shading  her  eyes.  "  Why,  what  are  those?  " 
she  exclaimed  eagerly,  "  there,  moving  on  the  bluffs 
opposite?  " 

123 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

His  glance  swept  to  the  northward,  and  he  was  as 
instantly  the  soldier  again.  Far  away  on  the  upper 
plateau,  clearly  outlined  against  the  blue  of  the  distant 
sky,  appeared  a  number  of  dark  figures.  For  a  mo 
ment  he  believed  them  buffaloes,  but  in  another  instant 
decided  instead  they  were  horsemen  riding  two  by  two. 

"  Get  down  lower,  Miss  McDonald,"  he  com 
manded.  "  Now  we  can  see,  and  not  be  seen.  They 
must  be  cavalrymen,  the  way  they  ride,  but  we  can  take 
no  chances." 

They  watched  the  black  specks  pass  east  to  where 
the  bluff  circled  in  toward  the  river.  It  was  from  there 
those  distant  riders  first  observed  the  dim  spiral  of 
smoke  still  curling  up  from  the  burning  stage,  for  they 
halted,  bunching  together,  and  then  disappeared  slowly 
down  a  gash  in  the  side  of  the  hill.  Emerging  on  the 
lower  flat  they  turned  in  the  direction  of  the  fire,  spur 
ring  their  horses  into  a  swift  trot.  There  was  no 
longer  any  doubt  of  their  being  troopers,  and  Hamlin 
stood  upright  on  the  sand  hummock  waving  his  hat. 
They  were  gathered  about  the  fire,  a  few  dismounted 
beside  the  dead  bodies,  before  his  signal  was  observed. 
Then  a  field  glass  flashed  in  the  sunlight,  and  three 
or  four  of  the  party  rode  down  to  the  bank  of 
the  river.  One  of  these,  the  glasses  still  held  in  his 

124 


A  REMEMBRANCE  OF  THE  PAST 

hand,  his  horse's  hoofs  in  the  water,  shouted  across  the 
stream. 

"  Who  are  you  over  there?  " 

"  White  people,"  answered  Hamlin,  using  his  hands 
for  a  trumpet.  "  We  escaped  from  the  stage  last  night. 
I  am  a  sergeant,  Seventh  Cavalry,  and  the  lady  with 
me  is  the  daughter  of  Major  McDonald  at  Fort  De- 


vere." 


"  How  did  you  get  across?  " 

"  Waded  in  the  dark;  there  is  good  bottom.  Send 
a  man  over  with  a  couple  of  horses." 

The  officer  turned  and  spoke  to  the  others  grouped 
beside  him;  then  raised  his  voice  again. 

"  Are  you  sure  there  is  no  quicksand?  " 

"  None  to  hurt;  come  straight  over  the  end  of  that 
sand  spit,  and  then  swerve  about  a  dozen  feet  to  the 
right  to  keep  out  of  a  hole.  The  water  won't  go  to 
a  horse's  belly.  Try  it,  Wasson,  you  ought  to  know 
me." 

"  You  're  '  Brick  '  Hamlin,  ain't  you?  " 

"  A  good  guess,  Sam;  come  on." 

Two  troopers  left  their  saddles,  and  the  third  man, 
the  one  answering  the  last  hail,  gathered  the  reins  in 
one  hand,  and  spurred  his  horse  confidently  into 
the  brown  water.  Following  the  Sergeant's  shouted 

125 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

directions,  the  three  animals  plunged  forward  and  came 
dripping  up  the  low  sand  bank.  The  rider,  a  sallow- 
faced  man  clad  in  rough  corduroy,  patched  and  color 
less,  leaned  over  and  held  out  his  hand. 

"  Dern  yer  o'  skin,"  he  said  solemnly,  but  with  a 
twinkle  in  his  eyes,  "  ye  're  sure  got  the  luck  of  it. 
Ain't  seen  ye  afore  fer  two  years." 

"That's  right,  Sam;  down  on  the  Cowskin,  wasn't 
it?  Who  's  over  there?  " 

"  Leftenant  Gaskins,  an'  some  o'  the  Fourth  Cavalry, 
scoutin'  out  o'  Dodge;  been  plum  to  ther  mountings, 
an'  goin'  home  ag'in.  Whut  the  hell  (beggin'  yer 
pardin,  mam)  has  happened  yere  ?  " 

"  I  '11  explain  when  we  get  across,"  and  Hamlin 
swung  the  haversack  to  his  shoulder,  and  turned  to  the 
girl.  '  This  is  Sam  Wasson,  Miss  McDonald,  a  scout 
I  have  been  out  with  before;  let  me  help  you  into  the 
saddle." 


126 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  PARTING 

THEY  recrossed  the  stream  carefully,  the  horses 
restless  and  hard  to  control  in  the  current,  the 
men  riding  on  either  side,  grasping  the  bit  of  the  girl's 
mount.  Others  had  joined  the  little  squad  of  troopers 
on  the  bank,  and  welcomed  them  with  a  cheer.  The 
Lieutenant  dismounted.  At  sight  of  the  girl's  face  he 
whipped  off  his  hat,  and  came  forward. 

"  Miss  McDonald,"  he  said,  pleasantly  greeting  her, 
"  I  am  Lieutenant  Gaskins,  and  I  have  met  your  father 
—  of  the  Sixth  Infantry,  is  he  not?  So  glad  to  be  of 
service,  you  know.  You  were  in  the  stage,  I  under 
stand;  a  most  remarkable  escape." 

"  I  owe  it  all  to  Sergeant  Hamlin,"  she  replied,  turn 
ing  to  glance  toward  the  latter.  "  He  bore  me  away 
unconscious  in  his  arms.  Indeed,  I  scarcely  realized 
what  happened.  Do  you  know  anything  regarding  my 
father?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  can  put  your  mind  at  ease  so  far  as  he 

127 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

is   concerned.     I   presume   you   were   endeavoring  to 
reach  his  post  when  this  unfortunate  affair  occurred." 

"  Yes." 

"  Sheridan  has  ordered  Devere  abandoned  for  the 
present,  and  the  Major's  troops  are  to  return  to 
Dodge.  No  doubt  we  shall  be  in  the  field  within 
a  week  or  two.  But  we  can  cultivate  acquaintance 
later;  now  I  must  straighten  out  this  affair."  He 
bowed  again,  and  turned  stiffly  toward  Hamlin,  who 
had  dismounted,  his  manner  instantly  changing.  He 
was  a  short,  heavily  built  man,  cleanly  shaven,  with 
dark,  arrogant  eyes,  and  prominent  chin. 

4  You  are  a  sergeant  of  the  Seventh,  you  said,"  he 
began  brusquely.     "  What  were  you  doing  here?  " 

"  My  troop  is  stationed  at  Fort  Union,"  was  the 
quiet  response.  "  I  carried  despatches  to  Devere,  and 
while  there  was  requested  by  Major  McDonald  to  in 
tercept  his  daughter  and  turn  her  back." 

"  Were  you  subject  to  Major  McDonald's  orders?  " 

"  It  was  not  an  order,  but  a  request." 

"Oh,  indeed;  a  mere  pleasure  excursion." 

"  It  has  hardly  turned  out  that  way,  sir,  and  condi 
tions  seemed  to  justify  my  action." 

"  That  is  for  others  to  determine.  When  was  the 
attack  made? " 

128 


THE  PARTING 

"  Just  before  sundown  last  evening.  The  driver  and 
guard  escaped  on  the  lead  horses,  and  the  wheelers  ran 
away,  wrecking  the  coach." 

"  There  were  four  passengers?  " 

"  Yes;  we  fought  them  off  until  after  dark,  although 
the  Mexican  was  killed  by  the  first  fire.  I  don't  know 
when  the  other  man  got  his." 

"Who  were  they?" 

"  Gonzales  ran  a  high-ball  game  at  Santa  Fe;  the 
other,  Moylan,  was  post-sutler  at  Fort  Marcy." 

"  How  many  Indians?     Who  were  they?  " 

"  About  thirty;  we  must  have  killed  five  or  six.  It 
was  hardly  more  than  daylight  when  they  left,  and  I 
could  not  tell  just  how  many  bodies  they  strapped  on 
the  ponies.  They  were  a  mixed  bunch  of  young  bucks, 
principally  Arapahoes,  led  by  Roman  Nose." 

"Went  west,  hey?" 

11  Yes,  sir." 

The  Lieutenant  turned  his  gaze  up  the  river,  and 
then  looked  at  Wasson,  who  remained  seated  in  the 
saddle. 

"  Must  be  the  same  lot  Maxwell  told  us  about  up 

on  Pawnee  Fork,  Sam,"  he  said  at  last.     "  He  will  be 

likely  to  cut  their  trail  some  time  to-day.     We  knew 

a  bunch  had  headed  south,  but  did  n't  suppose  they  had 

9  129 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

got  as  far  as  this  already.  Better  leave  Maxwell  to 
run  them  in,  I  suppose?  Our  orders  are  to  return  to 
Dodge." 

"  They  have  n't  three  hours  the  start,"  ventured 
Hamlin  in  surprise,  "  and  cannot  travel  fast  with  so 
many  of  their  ponies  doubly  loaded." 

"  That  is  for  me  to  decide,"  staring  insolently,  "  and 
I  understand  my  duty  without  any  advice.  Is  there 
any  damage  done  west  of  here?  " 

"The  station  at  the  crossing  is  burned;  two  dead 
men  there;  I  don't  know  what  became  of  the  third." 

"  Then  it  is  just  as  I  thought ;  those  fellows  will  turn 
north  before  they  get  that  far,  and  will  run  straight 
into  Maxwell.  What  do  you  say,  Sam?" 

The  scout  lolled  carelessly  in  the  saddle,  his  eyes  on 
the  river,  his  lean,  brown  face  expressionless. 

"  I  reckon  as  how  it  don't  make  no  great  difference 
what  I  say,"  he  answered  soberly.  "  Yer  ain't  taken 
no  advice  frum  me  yit,  fur  as  I  remember.  But  if  yer 
really  want  ter  know,  this  time,  my  notion  is  them  bucks 
will  most  likely  hide  in  the  bluffs  till  night,  an'  then 
sneak  past  Maxwell  after  it  gits  good  an'  dark.  If 
this  yere  wus  my  outfit  now,  I  'd  just  naturally  light 
on  to  the  trail  fast,  orders  er  no  orders.  I  reckon  it 's 

130 


THE  PARTING 

Injuns  we  cum  out  after,  an'  I  don't  suppose  the  War 
Department  would  find  any  fault  if  we  found  a  few." 

The  blood  surged  into  the  Lieutenant's  face,  but  op 
position  only  served  to  increase  his  obstinacy. 

"  I  prefer  to  rely  on  my  own  judgment,"  he  said 
tartly.  "  From  what  this  man  reports  they  are  in 
stronger  force  than  we  are.  Besides  my  instructions 
were  not  to  provoke  hostilities." 

Wasson  grinned,  revealing  his  yellow  teeth. 

"  Sure  not ;  they  are  so  damned  peaceable  them 
selves." 

"  I  prefer  leaving  Captain  Maxwell  to  deal  with  the 
situation,"  Gaskins  went  on  pompously,  ignoring  the 
sneer,  "  as  he  outranks  me,  and  I  am  under  strict  in 
structions  to  return  at  once  to  the  fort.  Two  of  our 
horses  are  disabled  already,  and  Smiley  is  too  sick  to 
be  left  alone.  There  are  only  sixteen  men  fit  for  duty, 
and  three  of  those  would  have  to  be  detailed  to  look 
after  him.  I  '11  not  risk  it.  Well,"  he  broke  off  sud 
denly,  and  addressing  a  corporal  who  had  just  ridden 
up  and  saluted,  "  have  you  buried  the  bodies?  " 
'Yes,  sir;  found  these  papers  on  them." 

The  Lieutenant  thrust  these  into  his  jacket  pocket. 
'  Very  well,  Hough.     Form  the  men  into  column. 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

Miss  McDonald,  you  will  retain  the  horse  you  have, 
and  I  should  be  very  glad  to  have  you  ride  with  me. 
Oh,  Corporal,  was  everything  in  the  coach  destroyed? 
Nothing  saved  belonging  to  this  lady?" 

"  Only  the  ironwork  is  left,  sir." 

"  So  I  thought;  exceedingly  sorry,  Miss  McDonald. 
The  ladies  at  Dodge  will  have  to  fit  you  out  when  we 
get  in.  I  am  a  bachelor,  you  know,"  he  added,  glancing 
aside  into  her  face,  "  but  can  promise  every  attention." 

Her  eyes  sought  Hamlin  where  he  stood  straight  and 
motionless,  respectfully  waiting  an  opportunity  to 
speak. 

"  Is  —  is  this  what  I  ought  to  do?"  she  questioned, 
leaning  toward  him.  "  I  am  so  confused  I  hardly  know 
what  is  best." 

"  Why,  of  course,"  broke  in  the  Lieutenant  hastily. 
"  You  may  trust  me  to  advise." 

"  But  my  question  was  addressed  to  Sergeant  Ham 
lin,"  she  interposed,  never  glancing  aside.  "  He  un 
derstands  the  situation  better  than  you." 

The  Sergeant  held  his  hat  in  his  hand,  his  eyes  meet 
ing  her  own  frankly,  but  with  a  new  light  in  them. 
She  had  not  forgotten  now  the  danger  was  over;  she 
meant  him  to  realize  her  friendship. 

"  It  seems  to  me  the  only  safe  course  for  you  to  take, 

132 


THE  PARTING 

Miss  McDonald,"  he  said  slowly,  endeavoring  to  keep 
the  note  of  triumph  out  of  his  voice.  "  Your  father  is 
perfectly  safe,  and  will  join  you  within  a  few  days.  I 
would  not  dare  attempt  your  protection  farther 
west." 

"You  are  not  going  with  us  then?"  she  questioned 
in  surprise. 

"  Not  if  Lieutenant  Gaskins  will  furnish  me  with 
horse  and  rifle.  I  must  report  at  Union,  and,  on  the 
way,  tell  your  father  where  you  are." 

"  But  the  danger !  oh,  you  must  n't  attempt  such  a 
ride  alone !  " 

"That  is  nothing;  the  valley  is  swept  clean,  and  I 
shall  do  most  of  my  riding  at  night.  Any  plainsman 
could  do  the  trick  —  hey,  Sam?  " 

Wasson  nodded,  chewing  solemnly  on  the  tobacco  in 
his  cheek. 

"  He  '11  make  the  trip  all  right,  miss,"  he  drawled 
lazily.  "  Wish  I  was  goin'  long.  I  'm  sure  tired  o' 
this  sorter  scoutin',  I  am.  Down  below  the  Cimarron 
is  the  only  place  ye  '11  have  ter  watch  out  close,  '  Brick.' 
Them  Comanches  an'  Apaches  are  the  worst  lot." 

"  I  know  —  night  riders  themselves,  but  I  know  the 
trail.  Can  you  outfit  me,  Lieutenant?  " 

Gaskins  smiled  grimly,  but  with  no  trace  of  humor. 

133 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

His  eyes  were  upon  the  girl,  still  leaning  over  her  pom 
mel. 

"  I  '11  outfit  you  all  right,"  he  said  brusquely,  "  and 
with  no  great  regret,  either.  And  I  shall  report  find 
ing  you  here  in  disobedience  to  orders." 

"  Very  well,  sir." 

Molly's  brown  eyes  swept  to  the  Lieutenant's  face, 
her  form  straightening  in  the  saddle,  her  lips  pressed 
tightly  together.  Gaskins  fronted  the  Sergeant,  stung 
into  anger  by  the  man's  quiet  response. 

"  I  shall  prefer  charges,  you  understand,"  almost 
savagely.  "  Helm,  give  this  fellow  that  extra  rifle, 
and  ammunition  belt.  McMasters,  you  will  let  him 
have  your  horse." 

Wasson  rolled  out  of  his  saddle,  muttering  some 
thing  indistinctly,  which  might  have  been  an  oath. 

"  I  ain't  goin'  ter  stand  fer  that,  Leftenant,"  he  said 
defiantly.  "  Bein'  as  I  ain't  no  enlisted  man,  an'  this 
yere  is  my  hoss,  c  Brick  '  Hamlin  don't  start  on  no  such 
ride  on  that  lame  brute  o'  McMasters'.  Here,  you 
1  Brick,'  take  this  critter.  Oh,  shut  up !  I  '11  git  to 
Dodge  all  right.  Won't  hurt  me  none  to  walk." 

The  eyes  of  the  two  men  met  understandingly,  and 
Hamlin  took  the  rein  in  his  hand.  Gaskins  started  to 
speak,  but  thought  better  of  it.  A  moment  he  stood, 

134 


THE  PARTING 

irresolute,  and  then  swung  up  into  saddle,  his  glance 
ignoring  the  Sergeant. 

"Attention!  company,"  he  commanded  sharply. 
"  By  column  four  —  march!  " 

The  girl  spurred  her  horse  forward,  and  held  out 
her  hand. 

"  Good-bye,"  she  said,  falteringly,  "  you  —  will  be 
careful." 

"  Of  course,"  and  he  smiled  up  into  her  eyes. 
"  Don't  worry  about  me  —  I  am  an  old  hand." 

"  And  I  am  to  see  you  again?  " 

"  I  shall  never  run  away,  surely,  and  I  hope  for  the 
best—" 

"  Miss  McDonald,"  broke  in  Gaskins  impatiently, 
"  the  men  are  already  moving." 

"  Yes,"  her  eyes  still  upon  the  Sergeant's  uncovered 
face,  "  I  am  coming.  Don't  imagine  I  shall  ever  for 
get,"  she  murmured  hastily,  "  or  that  I  will  not  be 
glad  to  meet  you  anywhere." 

"  Some  time  I  may  put  you  to  the  test,"  he  answered 
soberly.  "If  any  trouble  comes,  trust  Wasson  —  he  is 
a  real  man." 

He  stood  there,  one  arm  thrown  over  the  neck  of 
the  horse,  watching  them  ride  away  up  the  trail.  The 
Lieutenant  and  the  girl  were  together  at  the  rear  of  the 

135 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

short  column,  and  he  seemed  to  be  talking  earnestly. 
Hamlin  never  moved,  or  took  his  eyes  from  her  until 
they  disappeared  over  the  ridge.  Just  as  they  dipped 
down  out  of  sight  she  turned  and  waved  one  hand. 
Then  the  man's  gaze  swept  over  the  debris  of  the 
burned  stage,  and  the  two  mounds  of  earth.  Even 
these  mute  evidences  of  tragedy  scarcely  sufficed  to 
make  him  realize  all  that  had  occurred  in  this  lonely 
spot.  He  could  not  seem  to  separate  his  thought  from 
the  cavalcade  which  had  just  departed,  leaving  behind 
the  memory  of  that  farewell  wave  of  the  hand.  To 
him  it  marked  the  end  of  a  dream,  the  return  to  a  life 
distasteful  and  lonely. 

Mechanically  the  Sergeant  loaded  his  rifle,  and 
strapped  the  old  Confederate  haversack  to  his  saddle 
pommel,  staring  again,  half  unbelieving,  at  the  faded 
inscription  underneath  the  flap.  Yet  the  sight  of  those 
letters  awoke  him,  bringing  to  his  bronzed  face  a  new 
look  of  determination.  He  swung  into  the  saddle,  and, 
rifle  across  his  knees,  his  eyes  studying  the  desolate 
distance,  rode  westward  along  the  deserted  trail. 


136 


CHAPTER  XIII 

BACK   AT    FORT   DODGE 

THE  swiftly  speeding  weeks  of  that  war-summer 
on  the  plains  had  brought  many  changes  to  the 
hard-worked  troops  engaged  in  the  campaign  or  garri 
soning  the  widely  scattered  posts  south  of  the  Platte. 
Scouting  details,  although  constantly  in  the  saddle, 
failed  to  prevent  continued  Indian  depredations  on  ex 
posed  settlements.  Stage  routes  were  deserted,  and 
the  toiling  wagons  of  the  freighters  vanished  from  the 
trails.  Reports  of  outrages  were  continuous,  and  it 
became  more  and  more  evident  that  the  various  tribes 
were  at  length  united  in  a  desperate  effort  to  halt  the 
white  advance.  War  parties  broke  through  the  wide- 
strung  lines  of  guard,  and  got  safely  away  again,  leav 
ing  behind  death  and  destruction.  Only  occasionally 
did  these  Indian  raiders  and  the  pursuing  troops  come 
into  actual  contact.  The  former  came  and  went  in 
swift  forays,  now  appearing  on  the  Pawnee,  again  on 
the  Saline,  followed  by  a  wild  ride  down  the  valley 
of  the  Arkansas.  Scattered  in  small  bands,  well 

137 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

mounted  and  armed,  no  one  could  guess  where  the  next 
attack  might  occur.  Every  day  brought  its  fresh  re 
port  of  horror.  From  north  and  south,  east  and  west, 
news  of  outrages  came  into  Sheridan's  headquarters  at 
Fort  Wallace. 

Denver,  at  the  base  of  the  mountains,  was  practically 
in  state  of  siege,  provisioned  only  by  wagon  trains  sent 
through  under  strong  guard;  the  fringe  of  settlement 
along  the  water  ways  was  deserted,  men  and  women 
fleeing  to  the  nearest  government  posts  for  protection 
and  food.  The  troops,  few  in  number  and  widely 
scattered  in  small  detachments,  many  being  utilized  as 
scouts  and  guards,  were  unequal  to  the  gigantic  task 
of  protecting  so  wide  a  frontier.  Skirmishes  were  fre 
quent,  but  the  Indians  were  wary  and  resourceful,  and 
only  once  during  the  entire  summer  were  they  brought 
into  real  decisive  battle.  The  last  of  August,  Major 
Forsythe,  temporarily  commanding  a  company  of  vol 
unteer  scouts,  was  suddenly  attacked  by  over  a  thou 
sand  warriors  under  command  of  Roman  Nose.  A 
four  days'  fight  resulted,  with  heavy  loss  on  both  sides, 
the  Indians  being  finally  driven  from  the  field  by  the 
opportune  arrival  of  fresh  troops. 

The  general  condition  of  affairs  is  well  shown  by 
the  reports  reaching  Fort  Wallace  in  September. 

138 


BACK  AT  FORT  DODGE 

Governor  Hunt  wrote  from  Denver:  "  Just  returned. 
Fearful  condition  of  things  here.  Nine  persons  mur 
dered  by  Indians  yesterday,  within  radius  of  nine  miles." 
A  few  days  later,  acting  Governor  Hall  reported: 
"  The  Indians  have  again  attacked  our  settlements  in 
strong  force,  obtaining  possession  of  the  country  to 
within  twelve  miles  of  Denver.  They  are  more  bold, 
fierce,  and  desperate  in  their  assaults  than  ever  before. 
It  is  impossible  to  drive  them  out  and  protect  the  fam 
ilies  at  the  same  time,  for  they  are  better  armed, 
mounted,  disciplined,  and  better  officered  than  our  men. 
Each  hour  brings  intelligence  of  fresh  barbarities,  and 
more  extensive  robberies."  This  same  month  Gov 
ernor  Crawford,  of  Kansas,  telegraphed,  "  Have  just 
received  a  despatch  from  Hays,  stating  that  Indians 
attacked,  captured,  and  burned  a  train  at  Pawnee  Fork ; 
killed,  scalped,  and  burned  sixteen  men;  also  attacked 
another  train  at  Cimarron  Crossing,  which  was  de 
fended  until  ammunition  was  exhausted,  when  the  men 
abandoned  the  train,  saving  what  stock  they  could. 
Similar  attacks  are  of  almost  daily  occurrence." 

South  of  the  Cimarron  all  was  desolation,  and  war 
raged  unchecked  from  the  Platte  to  the  Pecos.  Sheri 
dan  determined  upon  a  winter  campaign,  although 
he  understood  well  the  sufferings  entailed  upon  the 

139 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

troops  by  exposure  on  the  open  plains  at  that  sea 
son.  Yet  he  knew  the  habits  of  Indians;  that  they 
would  expect  immunity  from  attack  and  would  gather 
in  villages,  subject  to  surprise.  He,  therefore,  decided 
that  the  result  would  justify  the  necessary  hardships 
involved.  To  this  end  smaller  posts  were  abandoned, 
and  the  widely  scattered  soldiers  ordered  to  central 
points  in  preparation  for  the  contemplated  movement. 
Devere  had  been  deserted  earlier,  and  Major  Mc 
Donald  had  marched  his  men  to  Dodge,  where  Molly 
awaited  his  coming.  Retained  there  on  garrison  duty, 
the  two  occupied  a  one-story,  yellow  stone  structure 
fronting  the  parade  ground.  In  October,  orders  to 
march  reached  "  M  "  troop,  Seventh  Cavalry,  at  Fort 
Union,  and  the  ragged,  bronzed  troopers,  who  all  sum 
mer  long  had  been  scouting  the  New  Mexican  plains, 
turned  their  horses'  heads  to  the  northeast  in  hopeful 
ness  of  action.  With  them  up  the  deserted  Santa  Fe 
trail,  past  burned  stations  and  wrecks  of  wagon  trains, 
rode  Sergeant  Hamlin,  silent  and  efficient,  the  old  Con 
federate  haversack  fastened  to  his  saddle,  and  his  mind, 
in  spite  of  all  effort,  recurring  constantly  to  the  girl 
who  had  gone  to  Dodge  early  in  the  summer.  Was 
she  still  there?  If  so,  how  would  she  greet  him  now 
after  these  months  of  absence?  The  little  cavalry 

140 


BACK  AT  FORT  DODGE 

column,  dust-covered  and  weary,  seemed  fairly  to  creep 
along,  as  day  by  day  he  reviewed  every  word,  every 
glance,  which  had  passed  between  them;  and  at  night, 
under  the  stars,  he  lay  with  head  on  his  saddle,  en 
deavoring  to  determine  his  course  of  action,  both  as  to 
their  possible  meeting,  and  with  regard  to  the  follow 
ing  of  the  clue  offered  by  the  haversack.  The  time  he 
had  hoped  for  was  at  hand,  but  he  could  not  decide 
the  best  course  of  action.  He  could  only  wait,  and 
permit  Fate  to  interfere. 

Certain  facts  were,  however,  sufficiently  clear,  and 
the  Sergeant  faced  them  manfully.  Not  merely  the 
fact  that  he  was  in  the  ranks,  great  as  that  handicap 
was,  could  have  prevented  an  attempt  at  retaining  the 
friendship  of  Molly  McDonald.  But  he  was  in  the 
ranks  because  of  disgrace  —  hiding  away  from  his  own 
people,  keeping  aloof  from  his  proper  station  in  life, 
out  of  bitter  shame.  If  he  had  felt  thus  before,  he 
now  felt  it  a  thousand  times  more  acutely  in  memory  of 
the  comradeship  of  her  whose  words  had  brought  him 
a  new  gleam  of  hope.  Never  before  had  loneliness 
seemed  so  complete,  and  never  before  had  he  realized 
how  wide  was  the  chasm  between  the  old  and  the  new 
life.  This  constantly  recurrent  memory  embittered 
him,  and  made  him  restless.  Yet  out  of  it  all,  there 

141 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

grew  a  firmer  determination  to  win  back  his  old  posi 
tion  in  the  world,  to  stamp  out  the  lie  through  which 
that  Confederate  court-martial  had  condemned  him. 
If  Le  Fevre  were  alive,  he  meant  now  to  find  him,  face 
him,  and  compel  him  to  speak  the  truth.  The  discov 
ery  of  that  haversack  gave  a  point  from  which  to  start, 
and  his  mind  centred  there  with  a  fixed  purpose  which 
obscured  all  else. 

It  was  after  dark  when  "M"  troop,  wearied  by 
their  long  day's  march  across  the  brown  grass,  rode 
slowly  up  the  face  of  the  bluff,  and  into  the  parade 
ground  at  Fort  Dodge.  The  lights  of  the  guard-house 
revealed  the  troopers'  faces,  while  all  about  them 
gleamed  the  yellow  lamps,  as  the  garrison  came  forth 
to  welcome  their  arrival.  Guided  by  a  corporal  of  the 
guard  the  men  led  their  horses  to  the  stables,  and,  as 
they  passed  the  row  of  officers'  houses  Hamlin  caught 
a  furtive  glimpse  in  a  radius  of  light  that  gave  his  pulses 
a  sudden  throb.  She  was  here  then  —  here  !  He  had 
hardly  dared  hope  for  this.  They  would  meet  again; 
that  could  scarcely  be  avoided  in  such  narrow  quarters. 
But  how?  On  what  terms?  He  ventured  the  one 
swift  glimpse  at  her  —  a  slender,  white-robed  figure, 
one  among  a  group  of  both  men  and  women  before  an 
open  door,  through  which  the  light  streamed  —  heard 

142 


BACK  AT  FORT  DODGE 

her  ask,  "Who  are  they?  What  cavalry  troop  is 
that?"  caught  the  response  in  a  man's  voice,  '  'M' 
of  the  Seventh,  from  Fort  Union,"  and  then  passed  by, 
his  eyes  looking  straight  ahead,  his  hand  gripping  his 
horse's  bit. 

Thirty  minutes  later  in  the  great  barn-like  barracks, 
he  hung  his  accoutrements  over  the  bed  assigned  him 
in  the  far  corner,  and,  revolver  belt  still  buckled  about 
his  waist,  stood  at  the  open  window,  striving  to  deter 
mine  which  of  those  winking  lights  shone  from  the 
house  where  he  had  seen  her.  There  had  been  some 
thing  in  the  eagerness  of  her  voice  which  he  could  not 
forget,  nor  escape  from.  She  had  seemed  to  care,  to 
.feel  an  interest  deeper  than  mere  curiosity.  The  Ser 
geant's  heart  beat  rapidly,  even  while  he  sternly  told 
himself  he  was  a  fool.  A  hand  touched  his  shoulder, 
and  he  wheeled  about  to  grip  Wasson's  hand. 

"  Well,  '  Brick,'  old  boy,"  said  the  scout  genially, 
although  his  thin  face  was  as  solemn  as  ever;  "  so  you 
fellows  have  come  back  to  be  in  the  shindy?  " 

''  We  Ve  been  in  it  all  summer,  Sam,"  was  the  reply. 
"  It 's  been  lively  enough  south  of  the  Cimarron,  the 
Lord  knows.  I  Ve  been  riding  patrol  for  months  now. 
But  what 's  up?  No  one  seems  to  know  why  we  were 
ordered  in." 

143 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  It 's  all  guess-work  here,"  and  Wasson  sat  down  on 
the  narrow  bed  and  lit  his  pipe.  "  But  the  '  old  man  ' 
is  getting  something  under  way,  consolidating  troops. 
Yourjregiment  is  going  to  be  used,  that 's  certain.  I  Ve 
been  carryin'  orders  between  here  an'  Wallace  for  three 
weeks  now,  an'  I  Ve  heard  Sheridan  explode  once  or 
twice.  He  's  tired  of  this  guerilla  business,  an'  wants 
to  have  one  good  fight." 

"  It  is  getting  late." 

'  That 's  the  way  he  figures  it  out,  accordin'  to  my 
notion.  We  Ve  always  let  those  fellows  alone  during 
the  bad  weather,  an'  they  Ve  got  so  they  expect  it. 
The  '  old  man  '  figures  he  '11  give  'em  a  surprise." 

"A  winter  campaign?" 

'Why  not?  We  can  stand  it  if  they  can.  O' 
course,  I  'm  just  guessin' ;  there  's  no  leak  at  headquar 
ters.  But  Custer  's  up  there,"  with  a  wave  of  the 
hand  to  the  north,  "  and  they  Ve  got  the  maps  out." 

"What  maps?" 

"  I  only  got  a  glimpse  of  them  out  of  the  tail  of  my 
eye,  but  I  reckon  they  was  of  the  kintry  south  of  the 
Arkansas,  along  the  Canadian." 

Hamlin  sat  down  beside  him,  staring  across  the  big 
room. 

144 


BACK  AT  FORT  DODGE 

"Then  it's  Black  Kettle;  his  band  is  down  on  the 
Washita,"  he  announced.  "  I  hope  it 's  true." 

"  They  're  arrangin'  supply  depots,  anyhow;  six  com 
panies  of  infantry  are  on  Monument  Creek,  and  five 
troops  of  cavalry  on  the  North  Canadian  a'ready. 
Wagon  trains  have  been  haulin'  supplies.  There 's 
some  stiff  work  ahead  when  the  snow  flies,  or  I  miss 
my  guess." 

Hamlin  sat  silent,  thinking,  and  the  scout  smoked 
quietly,   occasionally  glancing   toward   his   companion. 
Finally  he  spoke  again,  his  voice  barely  audible. 
'  That  little  girl  you  sent  in  with  us  is  here  yet." 

The  Sergeant  was  conscious  that  his  cheeks  flamed, 

but  he  never  looked  up. 

n 

'  Yes,  I  saw  her  as  we  came  in." 

"She's  asked  me  about  you  once  or  twice;  don't 
seem  to  forget  what  you  did  for  her." 

"  Sorry  to  hear  that." 

"  No,  yer  not;  could  n't  no  man  be  sorry  to  have  a 
girl  like  that  take  an  interest  in  him.  'T  ain't  in  hu 
man  nature.  What  did  yer  tell  her  about  nre?  " 

'  Tell  her!  "  surprised.  "  Why,  I  only  advised  her 
to  hang  close  to  you  if  anything  happened.  I  didn't 
exactly  like  the  style  of  the  Lieutenant." 

145 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  Thet  's  wat  I  thought.  Well,  she 's  done  it, 
though  thet  has  n't  pried  her  loose  from  Gaskins. 
He  's  hauntin'  her  like  a  shadow.  It 's  garrison  talk 
they  're  engaged,  but  I  ain't  so  sure  'bout  thet.  She 
an'  I  hev  got  to  be  pretty  good  friends,  though,  o' 
course,  it 's  strictly  on  the  quiet.  I  ain't  got  no  invite 
to  officers'  row  yit.  She  's  asked  me  a  lot  'bout  you." 

"  Interesting  topic." 

"  Well,  I  reckon  as  how  she  thinks  it  is,  enyhow. 
Yesterday  she  asked  me  'bout  thet  scrimmage  yer  bed 
down  on  the  Canadian.  She  'd  heerd  'bout  it  some 
how,  an'  wanted  the  story  straight.  So  I  told  her  all 
I  knowed,  an'  yer  oughter  seed  her  eyes  shine  while  I 
wus  sorter  paintin'  it  up." 

"  Oh,  hell;  let 's  drop  it,"  disgustedly.  "  The  Lieu 
tenant  here  yet?  " 

"Sure;  his  company  is  down  on  Monument,  but  he 
got  special  detail.  He  's  got  a  pull,  Gaskins  has." 

"How  is  that?" 

"  His  old  man  is  Senator,  or  something,  an'  they 
say,  has  scads  o'  money.  Enyway,  the  kid  finds  the 
army  a  soft  snap.  First  scoutin'  detail  he  ever  had 
when  you  met  him.  Did  n't  hunt  no  danger  then,  so 
fur  as  I  could  see.  Nice  little  dude,  with  a  swelled 
head,  but  popular  with  the  ladies.  I  reckon  McDonald 

146 


BACK  AT  FORT  DODGE 

ain't  objectin'  none  to  his  chasin'  after  Miss  Molly; 
thet  's  why  he  's  let  her  stay  in  this  God-forsaken  place 
so  long.  Well,  '  Brick,'  I  reckon  I  Ve  told  all  the 
news,  and  hed  better  move  'long." 

"  Hold  on  a  minute,  Sam,"  and  Hamlin,  suddenly 
recalled  to  earth,  reached  for  the  haversack  hanging 
on  the  iron  bedpost.  "  Moylan,  the  fellow  who  was 
killed  in  the  coach  with  us,  had  this  bag.  According 
to  Miss  McDonald,  he  bought  it  here  just  before  start 
ing  on  the  trip.  See  this  inscription;  those  are  the 
initials  of  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine  I  'd  like  to  trace. 
Any  idea  where  Moylan  found  it?  " 

Wasson  held  the  bag  to  the  light  studying  the  letters. 

"  Fourth  Texas  —  hey?     That  your  regiment?  " 

The  Sergeant  nodded,  his  lips  tightly  pressed  to 
gether. 

"  Must  hev  come  from  Dutch  Charlie's  outfit,"  the 
scout  went  on  slowly.  "  He  picks  up  all  that  sorter 
truck." 

"Where  is  that?" 

"  In  town  thar,  under  the  bluff.  We  '11  look  it  up 
to-morrow." 


147 


CHAPTER  XIV 

UNDER   ARREST 

ONE  by  one  the  barrack  lights  went  out  as  the  tired 
troopers  sought  their  beds.  Hamlin  extin 
guished  his  also,  and  only  one  remained  burning,  left 
for  emergency  near  the  door,  which  flung  a  faint  glow 
over  the  big  room.  But  the  Sergeant's  reflections  kept 
him  awake,  as  he  sat  on  the  foot  of  his  bed,  and  stared 
out  of  the  open  window  into  the  darkness.  There  was 
little  upon  which  to  focus  his  eyes,  a  few  yellow  gleams 
along  officers'  row,  where  callers  still  lingered,  and  the 
glow  of  a  fire  in  front  of  the  distant  guard-house,  re 
vealing  occasionally  the  black  silhouette  of  a  passing 
sentinel.  Few  noises  broke  the  silence,  except  the 
strains  of  some  distant  musical  instrument,  and  a  voice 
far  away  saying  good-night.  Once  he  awoke  from 
revery  to  listen  to  the  call  of  the  guards,  as  it  echoed 
from  post  to  post,  ceasing  with  "  All  well,  Number 
Nine,"  far  out  beyond  the  stables. 

The  familiar  sound  served  to  recall  him  to  the  reality 
of  his  position.     What  was  the  use?     What  business 

148 


UNDER  ARREST 

had  he  to  dream?  For  months  now  he  had  kept  that 
girl's  face  before  him,  in  memory  of  a  few  hours  of 
happiness  when  he  had  looked  into  her  dark  eyes  and 
heard  her  pleasant  speech.  Yet  from  the  first  he  had 
known  the  foolishness  of  it  all.  He  was  nothing  to 
her,  and  could  never  become  anything.  Even  if  he 
cleared  his  past  record  and  stepped  out  of  the  ranks 
into  his  old  social  position,  the  chances  were  she  would 
never  overlook  what  he  had  been.  Her  gratitude 
meant  little,  nor  her  passing  interest  in  his  army  career. 
All  that  was  the  natural  result  of  his  having  saved  her 
life.  He  possessed  no  egotism  which  permitted  him 
to  think  otherwise.  Years  of  discipline  had  drilled 
into  him  a  consciousness  of  the  impassable  gulf  between 
the  private  and  the  officer's  daughter.  The  latter 
might  be  courteous,  kindly  disposed,  even  grateful  for 
services  rendered,  but  it  must  end  there.  The  Major 
would  see  that  it  did,  would  resent  bitterly  any  presump 
tion.  No,  there  was  nothing  else  possible.  If  they 
met  —  as  meet  they  must  in  that  contracted  post  —  it 
would  be  most  formal,  a  mere  exchange  of  reminiscence, 
gratitude  expressed  by  a  smile  and  pleasant  word.  He 
could  expect  no  more;  might  esteem  himself  fortunate, 
indeed,  to  receive  even  that  recognition.  Meanwhile 
he  would  endeavor  to  strike  Le  Fevre's  trail.  There 

149 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

were  other  interests  in  the  world  to  consider  besides 
Molly  McDonald,  and  his  memory  drifted  away  to  a 
home  he  had  not  visited  in  years.  But  thought  would 
not  concentrate  there,  and  there  arose  before  him,  as 
he  lay  there,  the  face  of  Lieutenant  Gaskins,  wear 
ing  the  same  expression  of  insolent  superiority  as 
when  they  had  parted  out  yonder  on  the  Santa  Fe 
trail. 

"  The  cowardly  little  fool,"  he  muttered  bitterly  un 
der  his  breath,  gripping  the  window  frame.  "  It  will 
require  more  than  his  money  to  bring  her  happiness, 
and  I  '11  never  stand  for  that.  Lord !  She  's  too  sensi 
ble  ever  to  love  him.  Good  God  —  what's  that!  " 

It  leaped  out  of  the  black  night  —  three  flashes,  fol 
lowed  instantly  by  the  sharp  reports.  Then  a  fourth 
—  this  time  unmistakably  a  musket  —  barked  from  be 
hind  officers'  row.  In  the  flare,  Hamlin  thought  he  saw 
two  black  shadows  running.  A  voice  yelled  excitedly, 
"  Post  Six!  Post  Six!  "  With  a  single  leap  the  Ser 
geant  was  across  the  sill,  and  dropped  silently  to  the 
ground.  Still  blinded  by  the  light  he  ran  forward,  jerk 
ing  his  revolver  from  the  belt.  As  he  passed  the  cor 
ner  of  the  barracks  the  sentry  fired  again,  the  red  flash 
cleaving  the  night  in  an  instant's  ghastly  vividness.  It 
revealed  a  woman  shrinking  against  the  yellow  stone 

150 


UNDER  ARREST 

wall,  lighted  up  her  face,  then  plunged  her  again  into 
obscurity. 

The  Sergeant  caught  the  glimpse,  half  believing  the 
vision  a  phantasy  of  the  brain;  he  had  seen  her  face, 
white,  frightened,  agonized,  yet  it  could  not  have  been 
real.  He  tripped  over  the  stone  wall  and  half  fell,  but 
ran  on,  his  mind  in  a  turmoil,  but  certain  some  one 
was  racing  before  him  down  the  dark  ravine.  There 
had  been  a  woman  there !  He  could  not  quite  blot 
that  out  —  but  not  she;  not  Molly  McDonald.  If  — 
if  it  were  she;  if  he  had  really  seen  her  face  in  the 
flare,  if  it  was  no  dream,  then  what?  Why,  he  must 
screen  her  from  discovery,  give  her  opportunity  to  slip 
away.  This  was  the  one  vague,  dim  thought  which 
took  possession  of  the  man.  It  obscured  all  else;  it 
sent  him  blindly  crashing  over  the  edge  of  the  ravine. 
He  heard  the  sentry  at  his  right  cry  hoarsely,  he  heard 
excited  shouts  from  the  open  windows  of  the  barracks; 
then  his  feet  struck  a  man's  body,  and  he  went  down 
headlong. 

Almost  at  the  instant  the  sentry  was  upon  him,  a  gun- 
muzzle  pressing  him  back  as  he  attempted  to  rise. 

"  Be  still,  ye  hell  hound,"  was  the  gruff  order,  "  or 
I  '11  blow  yer  to  kingdom  come !  Sergeant  of  the  guard, 
quick  here!  Post  Number  Six!  " 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

1  Hamlin  lay  still,  half  stunned  by  the  shock  of  his 
fall,  yet  conscious  that  the  delay,  this  mistake  of  the 
sentry,  would  afford  her  ample  chance  for  escape.  He 
could  hear  men  running  toward  them,  and  his  eyes 
caught  the  yellow,  bobbing  light  of  a  lantern.  His 
hand  reached  out  and  touched  the  body  over  which 
he  had  fallen,  feeling  a  military  button,  and  the  clasp 
of  a  belt  —  it  was  a  soldier  then  who  had  been  shot. 
Could  she  have  done  it?  Or  did  she  know  who  did? 
Whatever  the  truth  might  be,  he  would  hold  his  tongue; 
let  them  suppose  him  guilty  for  the  time  being;  he  could 
establish  innocence  easily  enough  when  it  came  to  trial. 
These  thoughts  flashed  through  his  mind  swiftly;  then 
the  light  of  the  lantern  gleamed  in  his  eyes,  and  he 
saw  the  faces  clustered  about. 

"  All  right,  Mapes,"  commanded  the  man  with  the 
light.  "  Let  the  fellow  up  until  I  get  a  look  at  him. 
Who  the  hell  are  you?  " 

"  Sergeant  Hamlin,  Seventh  Cavalry." 

"  Darned  if  it  ain't.  Say,  what  does  all  this  mean, 
anyhow?  Who's  shot?  Turn  the  body  over,  some 
body.  By  God!  It 's  Lieutenant  Gaskins!  " 

Hamlin's  heart  seemed  to  leap  into  his  throat  and 
choke  him;  for  an  instant  he  felt  faint,  dazed,  staring 
down  into  the  still  face  ghastly  under  the  rays  of  the 

152 


UNDER  ARREST 

lantern.  Gaskins !  Then  she  was  concerned  In  the 
affair;  he  really  had  seen  her  hiding  there  against  the 
wall.  And  the  man's  eyes  were  open,  were  staring  in 
bewilderment  at  the  faces.  The  Sergeant  of  the  guard 
thrust  the  lantern  closer. 

"  Lift  his  head,  some  o'  yer,  the  man 's  alive. 
Copley,  get  some  water,  an'  two  of  yer  run  fer  the 
stretcher  —  leg  it  now.  We  '11  have  yer  out  o'  here  in 
a  minute,  Lieutenant.  What  happened,  sir?  Who 
shot  yer?" 

Gaskins'  dulled  eyes  strayed  from  the  speaker's  face, 
until  he  saw  Hamlin,  still  firmly  gripped  by  the  sentry. 
His  lips  drew  back  revealing  his  teeth,  his  eyes  nar 
rowing. 

"  That 's  the  one,"  he  said  faintly.  "  You  Ve  got 
him!" 

One  hand  went  to  his  side  in  a  spasm  of  pain,  and 
he  fainted.  The  Sergeant  laid  him  back  limp  on  the 
grass,  and  stood  up. 

"  Where  is  your  gun,  Hamlin?  " 

"  I  dropped  it  when  I  fell  over  the  Lieutenant's  body. 
It  must  be  back  of  you." 

Some  one  picked  the  weapon  up,  and  held  it  to  the 
light,  turning  the  chambers. 

;t  Two  shots  gone,  Sergeant." 

153 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  We  heard  three ;  likely  the  Lieutenant  got  in  one 
of  them.  Sentry,  what  do  you  know  about  this  ?  " 

Mapes  scratched  his  head,  the  fingers  of  his  other 
hand  gripping  the  prisoner's  shoulder. 

"  Not  so  awful  much,"  he  replied  haltingly,  "  now 
I  come  ter  think  'bout  it.  'T  was  a  mighty  dark  night, 
an'  I  never  saw,  ner  heard,  nuthin'  till  the  shootin'  be 
gun.  I  wus  back  o'  officers'  row,  an'  them  pistols 
popped  up  yere,  by  the  corner  o'  the  barracks.  I 
jumped  an'  yelled;  thought  I  heerd  somebody  runnin' 
an'  let  drive.  Then  just  as  I  got  up  yere,  this  feller 
come  tearin'  'long,  an'  I  naturally  grabbed  him. 
That 's  the  whole  of  it." 

"  What  have  you  got  to  say,  Hamlin?  " 

"  Nothing." 

"  Well,  yer  better.  Yer  in  a  mighty  bad  box,  let  me 
tell  yer,"  angered  by  the  other's  indifference.  "  What 
was  the  row  about?  " 

The  cavalryman  stood  straight,  his  face  showing 
white  in  the  glow  of  the  lantern. 

"  I  told  you  before  I  had  nothing  to  say.  I  will 
talk  to-morrow,"  he  returned  quietly.  "  I  submit  to 
arrest." 

"  I  reckon  yer  will  talk  to-morrow,  and  be  damn 
glad  o'  the  chance.  Corporal,  take  this  fellow  to  the 

154 


UNDER  ARREST 

guard-house,  an'  stay  there  with  him.     Here  comes  the 
stretcher,  an'  the  doctor." 

Hamlin  marched  off  silently  through  the  black  night, 
surrounded  by  a  detail  of  the  guard.  It  had  all 
occurred  so  suddenly  that  he  was  bewildered  yet,  merely 
retaining  sufficient  consciousness  of  the  circumstances  to 
keep  still.  If  they  were  assured  he  was  guilty,  then  no 
effort  would  be  made  to  trace  any  others  connected  with 
the  affair.  Why  Gaskins  should  have  identified  him 
as  the  assassin  was  a  mystery  —  probably  it  was  merely 
the  delirium  of  a  sorely  wounded  man,  although  the 
fellow  may  have  disliked  him  sufficiently  for  that  kind 
of  revenge,  or  have  mistaken  him  for  another  in  the 
poor  light.  At  any  rate  the  unexpected  identification 
helped  him  to  play  his  part,  and,  if  the  Lieutenant  lived, 
he  would  later  acknowledge  his  mistake.  There  was 
no  occasion  to  worry;  he  could  clear  himself  of  the 
charge  whenever  the  time  came;  half  his  company 
would  know  he  was  in  barracks  when  the  firing  be 
gan.  There  were  women  out  on  the  walk,  their  skirts 
fluttering  as  they  waited  anxiously  to  learn  the  news, 
but  he  could  not  determine  if  she  was  among  them. 
Voices  asked  questions,  but  the  corporal  hurried  him 
along,  without  making  any  reply.  Then  he  was  thrust 
roughly  into  a  stone-lined  cell,  and  left  alone.  Out- 

155 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

side  in  the  corridor  two  guards  were  stationed.  Ham- 
lin  sat  down  on  the  iron  bed,  dazed  by  the  silence,  en 
deavoring  to  collect  his  thoughts.  The  nearest  guard, 
leaning  on  his  gun,  watched  carefully. 

Voices  reached  him  from  outside,  echoing  in  through 
the  high,  iron-barred  window,  but  they  were  distant,  the 
words  indistinguishable.  As  his  brain  cleared  he  gave 
no  further  thought  to  his  own  predicament,  only  con 
sidering  how  he  could  best  divert  suspicion  from  her. 
It  was  all  a  confused  maze,  into  the  mystery  of  which 
he  was  unable  to  penetrate.  That  it  was  Molly  Mc 
Donald  shrinking  there  in  the  dark  corner  of  the  bar 
racks  wall  he  had  no  doubt.  She  might  not  have  recog 
nized  him,  or  imagined  that  he  saw  her,  but  that  spear 
of  light  had  certainly  revealed  a  face  not  to  be  mis 
taken.  White  as  it  was,  haggard  with  terror,  half 
concealed  by  straggling  hair,  the  identification  was 
nevertheless  complete.  The  very  piteousness  of  expres 
sion  appealed  to  him.  She  was  not  a  girl  easily  fright 
ened;  no  mere  promiscuous  shooting,  however  startling, 
would  have  brought  that  look  to  her  face.  He  had 
seen  her  in  danger  before,  had  tested  her  coolness  un 
der  fire.  This  meant  something  altogether  different. 
What?  Could  it  be  that  Gaskins  had  wronged  the  girl, 
had  insulted  her,  and  that  she,  in  response,  had  shot 

156 


UNDER  ARREST 

him  down?  In  the  darkness  of  conjecture  there  seemed 
no  other  adequate  explanation.  The  two  were  inti 
mate  ;  the  rumor  of  an  engagement  was  already  circula 
ting  about  the  garrison.  And  the  stricken  man  had  en 
deavored  to  shift  the  blame  on  him.  Hamlin  could 
not  believe  this  was  done  through  any  desire  to  injure; 
the  Lieutenant  had  no  cause  for  personal  dislike  which 
would  account  for  such  an  accusation.  They  had  only 
met  once,  and  then  briefly.  There  was  no  rivalry  be 
tween  them,  no  animosity.  To  be  sure,  Gaskins  had 
been  domineering,  threatening  to  report  a  small  breach 
of  discipline,  but  in  this  his  words  and  actions  had  been 
no  more  offensive  than  was  common  among  young 
officers  of  his  quality.  The  Sergeant  had  passed  all 
memory  of  that  long  ago.  It  never  occurred  to  him 
now  as  of  the  slightest  importance.  Far  more  prob 
able  did  it  appear  that  Gaskins'  only  motive  was  to 
shield  the  girl  from  possible  suspicion.  When  he  had 
realized  that  Hamlin  was  a  prisoner,  that  for  some 
reason  he  had  been  seized  for  the  crime,  he  had  grasped 
the  opportunity  to  point  him  out  as  the  assassin,  and 
thus  delay  pursuit.  The  chances  we're  the  wounded 
man  did  not  even  recognize  who  the  victim  was  —  he 
had  blindly  grasped  at  the  first  straw. 

But  suppose  he  had  been  mistaken?     Suppose  that 

157 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

woman  hiding  there  was  some  one  else?  Suppose  he 
had  imagined  a  resemblance  in  that  sudden  flash  of  re- 
vealment?  What  then?  Would  she  care  enough  to 
come  to  him  when  she  learned  of  the  arrest?  He 
laughed  at  the  thought,  yet  it  was  a  bitter  laugh,  for 
it  brought  back  a  new  realization  of  the  chasm  be 
tween  them.  Major  McDonald's  daughter  interest 
ing  herself  in  a  guard-house  prisoner!  More  than 
likely  she  would  promptly  forget  that  she  had  ever 
before  heard  his  name.  He  must  be  growing  crazy 
to  presume  that  she  permitted  him  to  remain  on  her 
list  of  friendship. 

He  got  up  and  paced  the  cell,  noting  as  he  did  so 
how  closely  he  was  watched  by  the  guard. 

"  Have  you  heard  how  badly  the  Lieutenant  was 
hurt?  "  he  asked,  approaching  the  door. 

The  sentry  glanced  down  the  corridor. 

"  He  '11  pull  out,  all  right,"  he  replied  confidentially, 
his  lips  close  to  the  door.  "  Nothin'  vital  punctured. 
You  better  go  to  bed,  an'  forget  it  till  mornin'." 

"  All  right,  pardner,"  and  Hamlin  returned  to  the 
cot.  "  Turn  the  light  down  a  little,  will  you?  There, 
that 's  better.  My  conscience  won't  trouble  me,  but 
that  glare  did." 

With  his  face  to  the  stone  wall  he  fell  asleep. 

158 


CHAPTER  XV 

AN   OLD   ACQUAINTANCE 

IT  was  late  in  the  forenoon  when  the  heavily  armed 
guard  marched  Hamlin  across  to  the  commandant's 
office.  He  had  been  surprised  at  the  delay,  but  had  en 
joyed  ample  opportunity  to  plan  a  course  of  action,  and 
decide  how  best  to  meet  the  questions  which  would  be 
asked.  He  could  clear  himself  without  involving  her, 
without  even  a  mention  of  her  presence,  and  this  knowl 
edge  left  him  confident  and  at  ease. 

There  were  half  a  dozen  officers  gathered  in  the 
small  room,  the  gray-bearded  Colonel  in  command,  sit 
ting  behind  a  table,  with  Major  McDonald  at  his  right, 
and  the  others  wherever  they  could  find  standing  room. 
Hamlin  saluted,  and  stood  at  attention,  his  gray  eyes 
on  the  face  of  the  man  who  surveyed  him  across  the 
table. 

"  Sergeant,"  the  Colonel  said  rather  brusquely,  "  you 
came  in  last  night  with  *  M  '  troop,  did  you  not?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Had  you  ever  met  Lieutenant  Gaskins  before?  " 

159 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"Once;  he  pulled  me  out  of  a  bad  scrape  with  a 
bunch  of  Indians  out  on  the  trail  a  few  months  ago." 

"  The  same  affair  I  spoke  to  you  about,"  commented 
McDonald  quietly.  "  The  attack  on  the  stage." 

The  Colonel  nodded,  without  removing  his  eyes 
from  the  Sergeant's  face. 

*  Yes,  I  know  about  that,"  he  said.  "  And  that  was 
the  only  occasion  of  your  meeting?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Well,  Sergeant  Hamlin,  I  purpose  being  perfectly- 
frank  with  you.  There  are  two  or  three  matters  not 
easily  explained  about  this  affair.  I  am  satisfied  of  your 
innocence;  that  you  were  not  directly  concerned  in  the 
shooting  of  Lieutenant  Gaskins.  Men  of  your  troop 
state  that  you  were  in  barracks  when  the  shots  were 
fired,  and  the  wound  was  not  made  by  a  service  re 
volver,  but  by  a  much  smaller  weapon.  Yet  there  are 
circumstances  which  puzzle  us,  but  which,  no  doubt, 
you  can  explain.  Two  shots  had  been  fired  from  your 
revolver,"  and  he  pushed  the  weapon  across  the 
table. 

"  I  rode  ahead  of  the  troop  in  march  yesterday," 
Hamlin  explained,  "  and  fired  twice  at  a  jack-rabbit. 
I  must  have  neglected  to  replace  the  cartridges. 
Private  Stone  was  with  me." 

1 60 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE 

"  Why  did  you  submit  to  arrest  so  easily,  without 
any  attempt  to  clear  yourself?  " 

The  Sergeant's  gray  eyes  smiled,  but  his  response 
was  quietly  respectful. 

"  I  was  condemned  before  I  really  knew  what  had 
occurred,  sir.  The  sentry,  the  Sergeant  of  the  guard, 
and  the  Lieutenant  all  insisted  that  I  was  guilty.  They 
permitted  me  no  opportunity  to  explain.  I  thought  it 
just  as  well  to  remain  quiet,  and  let  the  affair  straighten 
itself  out." 

"  Yet  your  action  threw  us  completely  off  the  trail," 
broke  in  McDonald  impatiently.  "  It  permitted  the 
really  guilty  parties  to  escape.  Did  you  see  any  one  ?  " 

"  Black  smudges  merely,  Major,  apparently  run 
ning  toward  the  ravine.  My  eyes  were  blinded,  leap 
ing  from  a  lighted  room." 

McDonald  leaned  forward  eagerly,  one  hand  tap 
ping  the  table. 

''Was  one  of  them  a  woman?"  he  questioned 
sharply. 

Hamlin's  heart  leaped  into  his  throat,  but  he  held 
himself  motionless. 

'They  were  indistinguishable,  sir;  mere  shadows. 
Have  you  reason  to  suspect  there  may  have  been  a 
woman  involved?" 

161 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

The  Major  leaned  back  in  his  chair,  but  the  com 
mandant,  after  a  glance  at  his  officer,  answered: 

"  The  pistol  used  was  a  small  one,  such  as  a  woman 
might  carry,  and  there  are  marks  of  a  woman's  shoe 
plainly  visible  at  the  edge  of  the  ravine.  Lieutenant 
Gaskins  was  alone  when  he  left  the  officers'  club  five 
minutes  before  the  firing  began.  You  are  sure  you 
have  never  had  any  controversy  with  this  officer?" 

"  Perfectly  sure,  sir.  We  have  never  met  except 
on  the  one  occasion  already  referred  to,  and  then 
scarcely  a  dozen  words  were  exchanged." 

"  How  then,  Sergeant,"  and  the  Colonel  spoke  very 
soberly,  "  do  you  account  for  his  denouncing  you  as  his 
assassin?" 

"  I  presumed  he  was  influenced  by  my  arrest,  sir; 
that  the  shock  had  affected  his  brain." 

"  That  supposition  will  hardly  answer.  The  Lieu 
tenant  is  not  severely  wounded,  and  this  morning  ap 
pears  to  be  perfectly  rational.  Yet  he  insists  you  com 
mitted  the  assault;  even  refers  to  you  by  name." 

The  accused  man  pressed  one  hand  to  his  forehead 
in  bewilderment. 

"  He  still  insists  I  shot  him?  " 

"  Yes;  to  be  frank,  he's  rather  bitter  about  it,  and 
no  facts  we  have  brought  to  bear  have  any  apparent 

162 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE 

weight.     He  swears  he  recognized  your  face  in  the 
flare  of  the  first  discharge." 

The  Sergeant  stood  silent,  motionless,  his  gaze  on 
the  Colonel's  face. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  to  say,  sir,"  he  answered 
finally.  "  I  was  not  there,  and  you  all  know  it  from 
the  men  of  my  troop.  There  has  been  no  trouble  be 
tween  Lieutenant  Gaskins  and  myself,  and  I  can  con 
ceive  of  no  reason  why  he  should  desire  to  involve 
me  in  this  affair  —  unless,"  he  paused  doubtfully;  "  un 
less,  sir,  he  really  knows  who  shot  him,  and  is  anxious  to 
shift  the  blame  elsewhere  to  divert  suspicion." 

'  You  mean  he  may  be  seeking  to  shield  the  real 
culprit?" 

'  That  is  the  only  explanation  that  occurs  to  me, 
sir." 

The  Colonel  stroked  his  beard  nervously,  his  glance 
wandering  to  the  faces  of  the  other  officers. 

"  That  might  be  possible,"  he  acknowledged  regret 
fully,  "  although  I  should  dislike  to  believe  any  officer 
of  my  command  would  be  deliberately  guilty  of  so 
despicable  an  act.  However,  all  we  can  do  now  is  en 
deavor  to  uncover  the  truth.  You  are  discharged  from 
arrest,  Sergeant  Hamlin,  and  will  return  to  your 
troop." 

163 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

Hamlin  passed  out  the  door  into  the  sunshine,  dimly 
conscious  that  his  guarded  answers  had  not  been  entirely 
satisfactory  to  those  left  behind.  Yet  he  had  said  all 
he  could  say,  all  he  dared  say.  More  and  more  firmly 
there  had  been  implanted  in  his  mind  a  belief  that 
Molly  McDonald  was  somehow  involved  in  this  un 
fortunate  affair,  and  that  her  name  must  be  protected 
at  all  hazard.  This  theory  alone  would  seem  to  ac 
count  for  Gaskins'  efforts  to  turn  suspicion,  and  when 
this  was  connected  with  the  already  known  presence 
of  a  woman  on  the  scene,  and  the  smallness  of  the 
weapon  used,  the  evidence  seemed  conclusive. 

As  far  as  his  own  duty  was  concerned,  the  Sergeant 
felt  no  doubt.  Whatever  might  be  the  cause,  there  was 
no  question  in  his  mind  but  that  she  was  fully  justified  in 
her  action.  Disliking  the  Lieutenant  from  the  first, 
and  as  strongly  attracted  by  the  girl,  his  sympathies 
were  now  entirely  with  her.  If  she  had  shot  him,  then 
it  was  for  some  insult,  some  outrage,  and  he  was  ready 
to  protect  her  with  his  life.  He  stopped,  glancing 
back  at  the  closed  door,  tempted  to  return  and  ask  per 
mission  to  interview  Gaskins  personally.  Then  the 
uselessness  of  such  procedure  recurred  to  him ;  the  fact 
that  nothing  could  result  from  their  meeting  but  dis 
appointment  and  recrimination.  The  man  evidently 

164 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE 

disliked  him,  and  would  resent  any  interference;  he  had 
something  to  conceal,  something  at  stake  for  which  he 
would  battle  strenuously.  It  would  be  better  to  let  him 
alone  at  present,  and  try  to  uncover  a  clue  elsewhere. 
Later,  with  more  facts  in  his  possession,  he  could  face 
the  Lieutenant  and  compel  his  acknowledgment. 
These  considerations  caused  him  to  turn  sharply  and 
walk  straight  toward  the  ravine.  Yet  his  investigations 
there  brought  few  results.  On  the  upper  bank  were 
the  marks  of  a  woman's  shoe,  a  slender  footprint 
clearly  defined,  but  the  lower  portion  of  the  ravine  was 
rocky,  and  the  trail  soon  lost.  He  passed  down  be 
yond  the  stables,  realizing  how  easily  the  fugitives, 
I  under  cover  of  darkness,  could  have  escaped.  The 
stable  guard  could  have  seen  nothing  from  his  station, 
and  just  below  was  the  hard-packed  road  leading  to  the 
river  and  the  straggling  town.  There  was  nothing  to 
trace,  and  Hamlin  climbed  back  up  the  bluff  com 
pletely  baffled  but  desperately  resolved  to  unlock  the 
mystery.  The  harder  the  solution  appeared,  the  more 
determined  he  became  to  solve  it.  As  he  came  out, 
opposite  the  barrack  entrance,  a  carriage  drove  in  past 
the  guard-house,  the  guard  presenting  arms,  and  circled 
the  parade  in  the  direction  of  officers'  row.  It  con 
tained  a  soldier  driver  and  two  ladies,  and  the  Ser- 

165 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

geant's  face  blushed  under  its  tan  as  he  recognized 
Miss  McDonald.  Would  she  notice  him  —  speak  to 
him?  The  man  could  not  forbear  lifting  his  eyes  to 
her  face  as  the  carriage  swept  by.  He  saw  her  glance 
toward  him,  smile,  with  a  little  gesture  of  recognition, 
and  stood  there  bareheaded,  his  heart  throbbing  wildly. 
With  that  look,  that  smile,  he  instantly  realized  two 
facts  of  importance  —  she  was  willing  to  meet  him  on 
terms  of  friendship,  and  she  had  not  recognized  him 
the  evening  previous  as  he  ran  past  her  in  the  dark. 

Hamlin,  his  thoughts  entirely  centred  upon  Miss 
McDonald,  had  scarcely  noted  her  companion,  yet  as 
he  lingered  while  the  carriage  drew  up  before  the 
Major's  quarters,  he  .seemed  to  remember  vaguely  that 
she  was  a  strikingly  beautiful  blonde,  with  face 
shadowed  by  a  broad  hat.  Although  larger,  and  with 
light  fluffy  hair  and  blue  eyes,  the  lady's  features  were 
strangely  like  those  of  her  slightly  younger  companion. 
The  memory  of  these  grew  clearer  before  the  Sergeant 
—  the  whiteness  of  the  face,  the  sudden  lowering  of 
the  head;  then  he  knew  her;  across  the  chasm  of  years 
her  identity  smote  him  as  a  blow;  his  breath  came 
quickly  and  his  fingers  clenched. 

"My  God!"  he  muttered,  unconsciously.  "That 
was  Vera  !  She  has  changed,  wonderfully  changed,  but 

166 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE 

—  but  she  knew  me.     What,  in  Heaven's  name,  can 
she  be  doing  here,  and  —  with  Molly?  " 

With  straining  eyes  he  stared  after  them  until  they 
both  disappeared  together  within  the  house.  Miss  Mc 
Donald  glanced  back  toward  him  once  almost  shyly, 
but  the  other  never  turned  her  head.  The  carriage 
drove  away  toward  the  stables.  Feeling  as  though  he 
had  looked  upon  a  ghost,  Hamlin  turned  to  enter  the 
barracks.  An  infantry  soldier  leaned  negligently  in  the 
doorway  smoking. 

'  You  're  the  sergeant  who  saved  that  girl  down  the 
trail,  ain't  yer?  "  he  asked  indolently.  "  Thought  so; 
I  was  one  o'  Gaskins'  men." 

Hamlin  accepted  the  hand  thrust  forth,  but  with 
mind  elsewhere. 

"  Do  you  happen  to  know  who  that  was  with  Miss 
McDonald?  "  he  asked. 

"  Did  n't  see  'em,  only  their  backs  as  they  went  in 

—  nice  lookin'  blonde?" 

'  Yes,  rather  tall,  with  very  light  hair." 

"  Oh,  that 's  Mrs.  Dupont." 

"  Mrs.  Dupont?"  the  name  evidently  a  surprise; 
"  wife  of  one  of  the  officers?  " 

"  No,  she  's  no  army  dame.  Husband  's  a  cattle 
man.  Got  a  range  on  the  Cowskin,  south  o'  here,  but 

167 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

I  reckon  the  missus  don't  like  that  sorter  thing  much. 
Lives  in  St.  Louis  mostly,  but  has  been  stoppin'  with 
the  McDonalds  fer  a  month  er  two  now.  Heerd  she 
wus  a  niece  o'  the  Major's,  an'  reckon  she  must  be,  er 
thar  'd  been  a  flare  up  long  ago.  She  's  a  high  flyer, 
she  is,  an'  she  's  got  the  Leftenant  goin'  all  right." 

"Gaskins?" 

"Sure;  he's  a  lady-killer,  but  thet 's  'bout  all  the 
kind  o'  killer  he  is,  fer  as  I  ever  noticed  —  one  o'  yer 
he-flirts.  Thar  ain't  hardly  an  officer  in  this  gar 
rison  thet  ain't  just  achin'  fer  ter  kick  that  squirt,  but 
ther  women  —  oh,  Lord;  they  think  he's  a  little  tin 
god  on  wheels.  Beats  hell,  don't  it,  what  money  will 
do  fer  a  damn  fool." 

Hamlin  stood  a  moment  silent,  half  inclined  to  ask 
another  question,  but  crushing  back  the  inclination. 
Then  he  walked  down  the  hall  to  the  quarters  assigned 
n  fyj  M  Xroop,  and  across  to  his  own  bed  in  the  far 
corner.  There  were  only  a  few  of  the  men  present, 
most  of  whom  were  busily  engaged  at  a  game  of  cards, 
and  he  sat  down  where  he  could  gaze  out  the  window 
and  think.  Here  was  a  new  complication,  a  fresh 
puzzle  to  be  unravelled.  He  had  never  expected  this 
woman  to  come  into  his  life  again;  she  had  become  a 
blurred,  unpleasant  memory,  a  bit  of  his  past  which  he 

168 


AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE 

had  supposed  was  blotted  out  forever.  Mrs.  Dupont 
—  then  she  had  not  married  Le  Fevre  after  all !  He 
dully  wondered  why,  yet  was  not  altogether  surprised. 
Even  as  he  turned  this  fact  over  and  over  in  his  mind, 
speculating  upon  it,  he  became  aware  of  a  man  leav 
ing  the  rear  door  of  McDonald's  quarters,  and  advan 
cing  back  of  officers'  row  toward  the  barracks.  As  the 
fellow  drew  near,  Hamlin  recognized  the  soldier  who 
had  been  driving  the  carriage.  A  moment  later  the 
man  entered  the  room,  spoke  to  the  group  of  card 
players,  and  then  came  straight  across  toward  him. 

"  Sergeant  Hamlin?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  I  was  asked  to  hand  you  this  note;  there  is  no  an- 

,, 
swer. 

Hamlin  held  It  unopened  until  the  fellow  disap 
peared,  hesitating  between  hope  and  dread.  Which  of 
the  two  women  had  ventured  to  write  him?  What 
could  be  the  unexpected  message?  At  last  his  eyes 
scanned  the  three  short  lines : 

'  You  recognized  me,  and  we  must  understand  each 
other.  At  ten  to-night  ask  the  Clerk  of  the  Oc 
cidental— V." 


169 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   MEETING 

HAMLIN'S  first  impulse  was  to  ignore  the  note, 
trusting  his  position  in  the  ranks  would  be  suffi 
cient  barrier  to  prevent  any  chance  meeting,  and  be 
lieving  his  stay  at  that  garrison  would  be  only  a  brief 
one.  Sheridan  was  evidently  preparing  for  an  early 
offensive  campaign,  and  it  was  rumored  on  all  sides  that 
the  Seventh  Cavalry  had  been  selected  for  active  field 
service.  Indeed,  the  urgent  orders  for  the  consolidation 
of  the  regiment  from  scattered  posts  must  mean  this. 
Any  day  might  bring  orders,  and  he  could  easily  avoid 
this  Mrs.  Dupont  until  then.  Except  for  a  faint  curi 
osity,  the  Sergeant  felt  no  inclination  to  meet  the 
woman.  Whatever  influence  she  might  have  once  exer 
cised  over  him  had  been  thoroughly  overcome  by  years 
and  absence.  Even  the  unexpected  sight  of  her  again 
—  seemingly  as  beautiful  as  ever  —  had  failed  to 
awaken  the  spell  of  the  past.  It  was  almost  with  a 
thrill  of  delight  that  Hamlin  realized  this  —  that  he 
was  in  truth  utterly  free  of  her  influence.  There  had 

170 


THE  MEETING 

been  times  when  he  had  anticipated  such  a  possible 
meeting  with  dread;  when  he  had  doubted  his  own 
heart,  the  strength  of  his  will  to  resist.  But  now  he 
knew  he  stood  absolutely  independent  and  could  laugh 
at  her  wiles.  She  who  had  once  been  all  —  trusted, 
loved,  worshipped  with  all  the  mad  fervor  of  youth 

—  had  become  only  a  dead  memory.     Between  them 
stretched  a  chasm  never  to  be  bridged. 

What  could  the  woman  possibly  want  of  him?  To 
explain  the  past?  To  justify  herself?  He  knew 
enough  already,  and  desired  to  know  no  more.  Could 
she  hope  —  natural  coquette  that  she  was  —  to  re 
gain  her  hold  upon  him?  The  man  smiled  grimly, 
confident  of  his  own  strength.  Yet  why  should  she  care 
for  such  a  conquest,  the  winning  of  a  common  soldier? 
There  must  be  some  better  reason,  some  more  subtle 
purpose.  Could  it  be  that  she  feared  him,  that  she  was 
afraid  that  he  might  speak  to  her  injury?  This  was 
by  far  the  most  likely  supposition.  Molly  McDonald 

—  the  woman  was  aware  of  their  acquaintance,  and  was 
already  alarmed  at  its  possible  result. 

Hamlin  stood  up  resolved.  He  would  meet  the 
woman,  not  from  any  desire  of  his  own,  but  to  learn 
her  purpose,  and  protect  the  girl.  The  meeting  could 
not  injure  him,  not  even  bring  a  swifter  beating  of  the 

171 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

heart,  but  might  give  him  opportunity  to  serve  the  other. 
And  Le  Fevre  —  surely  she  could  tell  him  something 
of  Le  Fevre. 

Leave  was  easily  obtained,  and  the  Sergeant,  re 
joicing  in  a  freshly  issued  uniform,  dressed  with  all 
the  care  possible,  his  interest  reviving  at  this  new  point 
of  view.  It  was  not  far  down  the  bluff  road  to  the 
squalid  little  village  which  had  naturally  developed  in 
close  proximity  to  the  fort  —  near  enough  for  pro 
tection,  yet  far  enough  removed  to  be  lawless  —  a 
rough  frontier  outpost  town,  of  shacks  and  tents,  most 
of  these  dispensing  vile  liquors.  Among  these,  more 
enterprising  spirits  —  hopeful  of  future  development 
—  had  erected  larger  buildings,  usually  barn-like,  with 
false  fronts  facing  the  single  main  street,  filled  with 
miscellaneous  stocks  of  goods  or  used  for  purposes  not 
so  legitimate.  One  of  these  housed  the  "  Poodle  Dog  " 
saloon,  with  gambling  rooms  above,  while  a  few  doors 
below  was  a  great  dance  hall,  easily  converted  into  a 
theatre  if  occasion  arose, —  a  grotesque,  one-storied 
monstrosity.  Below  these  was  the  stage  office,  built 
against  the  three-storied  wooden  hotel,  which  boasted 
of  a  wide  porch  on  two  sides,  and  was  a  picture  of  ugli 
ness. 

By  daylight  all  was  squalor  and  dirt,  dingy  tents 

172 


THE  MEETING 

flapping  in  the  ceaseless  wind,  unpainted  shacks,  wooden 
houses  with  boards  warping  under  the  hot  sun,  the 
single  street  deep  in  yellow  dust,  the  surrounding 
prairie  littered  with  tin  cans,  and  all  manner  of  debris. 
But  with  the  coming  of  night  much  of  this  roughness 
departed.  Soldiers  from  the  garrison  on  pass,  idle 
plainsmen,  bull-whackers,  adventurers  of  all  kinds 
stranded  here  because  of  Indian  activity,  stray  cowboys 
from  the  nearby  valleys,  thronged  the  numerous  dives, 
seeking  excitement.  Women,  gaudy  of  dress,  shrill  of 
voice,  flitted  from  door  to  door  through  the  jostling 
crowds.  Lamps  blazed  over  the  motley  assembly, 
loud-voiced  barkers  yelled,  and  a  band  added  its  dis 
cords  to  the  din.  The  "  Poodle  Dog  "  glared  in  light, 
resounded  with  noise;  lamps  gleamed  from  the  hotel 
windows,  and  the  huge  dance  hall  stood  wide  open. 
Out  from  the  shacks  and  tents  crept  the  day's  sleepers 
for  a  night  of  revelry;  along  the  trails  rode  others  eager 
for  excitement;  it  was  the  harvest-time  of  those  birds 
of  prey  in  saloon  and  gambling  hell. 

Hamlin  saw  all  this,  but  gave  the  surroundings  little 
thought.  He  was  of  the  West,  of  the  frontier,  and 
beheld  nothing  unique  in  the  scene.  Moreover,  the 
purpose  for  which  he  was  there  overshadowed  all  else, 
left  him  indifferent  to  the  noise,  the  jostling,  drunken 

173 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

crowd.  Some  he  met  who  knew  him  and  called  his 
name,  but  he  passed  them  with  a  word,  and  pressed  his 
way  forward.  At  the  hotel  he  mounted  the  steps  and 
entered.  The  office  was  in  one  corner  of  the  bar-room. 
The  proprietor  himself,  a  bald-headed  Irishman,  sat 
with  feet  cocked  up  on  the  counter,  smoking,  and 
barely  glancing  up  as  the  Sergeant  asked  for  Mrs.  Du- 
pont. 

;'  Who  are  yer?  "  he  asked. 

"  My  name  is  Hamlin;  I  am  here  on  the  lady's  invi 
tation." 

"Sure;  thet 's  ther  name  all  right,  me  bhoy.  Yer 
ter  go  out  on  the  east  porch  there,  an'  wait  a  bit  whoile 
I  sind  her  worrd  yer  here.  Oi 'm  imaginin'  she  hed 
sum  doubts  about  yer  comin',  the  way  she  spoke." 

"  How  do  I  get  there?" 

'  Through  the  winder  of  the  parlur  over  thar  — 
sure,  it 's  a  noice  quiet  spot  fer  a  tate-a-tate."  He  got 
up,  and  peered  through  his  glasses  across  the  room. 
"Here,  Moike;  damn  thet  slapy  head.  Will  one  o' 
yer  gents  wake  the  lad  —  that 's  it.  Now  come  here, 
Moike.  You  run  over  to  the  Palace  an'  tell  Mrs. 
Dupont  the  fellar  is  here  waitin'.  Hold  on  now,  not 
so  fast;  wait  till  Oi  'm  done  tellin'  yer.  Say  thet  to 
her  alone  —  do  yer  moind  thet,  ye  sap-head ;  nobody 

174 


THE  MEETING 

else  is  to  hear  whut  yer  say;  stay  there  till  yer  git  a 
chance  ter  whisper  it  to  her.  Now  skip." 

Hamlin  hesitated,  watching  the  boy  disappear. 

"  At  the  Palace  —  the  dance  hall  across  the  street?  " 
he  asked  incredulously. 

"  Sure,"  indifferently,  relighting  his  pipe.  "  Of 
ficers'  ball;  couldn't  break  in  with  a  can-opener  unless 
you  had  a  invite.  Guards  at  both  ends,  sergeant  tak 
ing  tickets,  an'  Third  Regiment  Band  makin'  music. 
Hell  of  a  swell  affair;  got  guests  here  from  Leaven- 
worth,  Wallace,  and  all  around.  Every  room  I  got  is 
full  an'  runnin'  over  —  say,  there  are  fellars  over  thar 
in  them  fool  swaller-tail  coats;  damned  if  there  ain't. 
If  the  b'ys  ever  git  sight  of  'em  on  the  street  there  '11 
be  a  hot  time.  Say,  ain'  that  the  limit?  Injuns  out 
thar  thick  as  fleas  on  a  dog,  an'  them  swells  dancin' 
here  in  swaller-tails  like  this  yere  was  Boston." 

He  was  still  talking  when  Hamlin  crossed  the  narrow 
hall  and  entered  the  dimly-lighted,  unoccupied  parlor. 
The  side  window  was  open,  a  slight  breeze  rustled  the 
heavy  curtain,  and  the  Sergeant  stepped  outside  on  to 
the  dark  porch.  There  was  a  bench  close  to  the  rail 
and  he  sat  down  to  wait.  A  gleam  of  light  from  the 
Palace  fell  across  the  western  end,  but  the  remainder 
of  the  porch  lay  in  shadow,  although  he  could  look  up 

175 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

the  street,  and  see  the  people  jostling  back  and  forth 
in  front  of  the  Poodle  Dog.  The  sound  of  mingled 
voices  was  continuous,  occasionally  punctuated  by 
laughter,  or  an  unrestrained  outburst  of  profanity. 
Once  shots  echoed  from  out  the  din,  but  created  no 
apparent  excitement,  and  a  little  later  a  dozen  horsemen 
spurred  recklessly  through  the  street,  scattering  the 
crowd,  their  revolvers  sputtering.  Some  altercation 
arose  opposite  and  a  voice  called  loudly  for  the  guard, 
but  the  trouble  soon  ceased  with  the  clump  of  hoofs, 
dying  away  in  the  distance,  the  regimental  band  noisily 
blaring  out  a  waltz.  Hamlin,  immersed  in  his  own 
thoughts,  scarcely  observed  the  turmoil,  but  leaned, 
arms  on  railing,  gazing  out  into  the  darkness.  Some 
thing  mysterious  from  out  the  past  had  gripped  him; 
he  was  wondering  how  he  should  greet  her  when  she 
came;  speculating  on  her  purpose  in  sending  for  him. 

It  seemed  as  though  he  waited  a  long  time  before 
the  curtain  at  the  window  was  thrust  aside  and  the  lady 
emerged,  the  slight  rustling  of  her  dress  apprising  him 
of  her  presence.  The  curtain  still  held  slightly  back 
by  her  hand  permitted  the  light  from  within  to  re 
flect  over  her  figure,  revealing  in  softened  outline  the 
beauty  of  her  features,  the  flossy  brightness  of  her  hair. 
She  was  in  evening  dress,  a  light  shawl  draping  her 

176 


THE  MEETING 

shoulders.  An  instant  she  paused  in  uncertainty,  striv 
ing  to  distinguish  his  face ;  then  stepped  impulsively  for 
ward,  and  held  out  her  hands. 

"  I  have  kept  you  waiting,  but  you  must  forgive  that, 
as  I  came  as  soon  as  I  could  manufacture  an  excuse. 
Won't  you  even  shake  hands  with  me  ?  " 

"  Is  it  necessary?  "  he  asked,  almost  wearily.  '  You 
have  come  to  me  for  some  purpose  surely,  but  it  can 
hardly  be  friendship." 

"Why  should  you  say  that?"  reproachfully.  "I 
have  deserted  a  rather  brilliant  party  to  meet  you  here." 

"  That,  perhaps,  is  why  I  say  it,  Mrs.  Dupont.  If 
my  memory  serves,  you  would  not  be  inclined  to  leave 
such  friends  as  you  have  yonder  to  rendezvous  with  a 
common  soldier,  unless  you  had  some  special  object  in 
view.  If  you  will  inform  me  what  it  is,  we  can  very 
quickly  terminate  the  interview." 

She  laughed,  a  little  touch  of  nervousness  in  the 
voice,  but  drew  her  skirts  aside,  and  sat  down  on  the 
bench. 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  deceive  me  by  such  play 
acting?"  she  asked  eagerly.  "You  are  no  man  of 
wood.  Tell  me,  is  there  nothing  you  care  to  ask  me, 
after  —  after  all  these  years?" 

Hamlin  lifted  his  eyes  and  looked  at  her,  stirred 

177 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

into  sudden  interest  by  the  almost  caressing  sound  of 
the  soft  voice. 

"  Yes,"  he  said  slowly,  "  there  are  some  things  I 
should  like  to  know,  if  I  thought  you  would  answer 
frankly." 

'  Try  me  and  see." 

"  Then  why  are  you  Mrs.  Dupont,  Instead  of  Mrs. 
Le  Fevre?" 

'  Then  my  guess  is  true,  and  you  are  not  so  devoid 
of  curiosity,"  she  laughed.  "  My  answer?  Why,  it 
is  simplicity  itself  —  because  I  was  never  Mrs.  Le 
Fevre,  but  am  rightfully  Mrs.  Dupont." 

"  Do  you  mean  you  were  never  married  to  Le 
Fevre?" 

"  What  else  could  I  mean?  " 

"  Then  he  lied." 

She  shrugged  her  white  shoulders. 

"  That  would  not  surprise  me  in  the  least.  'T  was 
a  characteristic  of  the  man  you  had  ample  reason  to 
know.  How  came  you  to  believe  so  easily?" 

"Believe?  What  else  could  I  believe?  Every 
thing  served  to  substantiate  his  boast.  I  was  in  dis 
grace,  practically  drummed  out  of  camp.  There  was 
nothing  left  for  me  to  live  for,  or  strive  after.  I  was 
practically  dead.  Then  your  letter  confessing  came  — " 

178 


THE  MEETING 

"  Wait,"  she  interrupted,  "  that  letter  was  untrue, 
false;  it  was  penned  under  compulsion.  I  wrote  you 
again,  later,  but  you  had  gone,  disappeared  utterly.  I 
wanted  to  explain,  but  your  own  people  even  did  not 
know  where  you  were  —  do  not  know  yet." 

He  leaned  his  body  against  the  rail,  and  looked  at 
her  in  the  dim  light.  Her  face  retained  much  of  its 
girlish  attractiveness,  yet  its  undoubted  charms  no 
longer  held  the  man  captive.  He  smiled  coldly. 

'  The  explanation  comes  somewhat  late,"  he  re 
plied  deliberately.  "  When  it  might  have  served  me 
it  was  not  offered  —  indeed,  you  had  conveniently  dis 
appeared.  But  I  am  not  here  to  criticise;  that  is  all 
over  with,  practically  forgotten.  I  came  at  your  re 
quest,  and  presume  you  had  a  reason.  May  I  again 
ask  what  it  was?" 


179 


CHAPTER  XVII 

AT    CROSS-PURPOSES 

SHE  sat  for  a  moment  silent,  gazing  up  the  street, 
but  breathing  heavily.  This  was  not  the  recep 
tion  she  had  anticipated,  and  it  was  difficult  to  determine 
swiftly  what  course  she  had  best  pursue.  Realizing 
the  hold  she  had  once  had  upon  this  man,  it  had  never 
occurred  to  her  mind  that  her  influence  had  altogether 
departed.  Her  beauty  had  never  failed  before  to  win 
such  victory,  and  she  had  trusted  now  in  reviving  the 
old  smouldering  passion  into  sudden  flame.  Yet  al 
ready  she  comprehended  the  utter  uselessness  of  such 
an  expectation  —  there  was  no  smouldering  passion  to 
be  fanned;  his  indifference  was  not  assumed.  The  dis 
covery  angered  her,  but  long  experience  had  brought 
<  control;  it  required  only  a  moment  to  readjust  her 
faculties,  to  keep  the  bitterness  out  of  her  voice. 
When  she  again  faced  him  it  was  to  speak  quietly,  with 
convincing  earnestness. 

'  Yes,  I  realize  it  is  too  late  for  explanations,"  she 
acknowledged,  "  so  I  will  attempt  none.     I  wished  you 

180 


AT  CROSS-PURPOSES 

to  know,  however,  that  I  did  not  desert  you  for  that 
man.  This  was  my  principal  purpose  in  sending  for 
you." 

"  Do  you  know  where  he  is?  " 

She  hesitated  ever  so  slightly,  yet  he,  watching  her 
closely,  noted  it. 

"  No ;  at  the  close  of  the  war  he  came  home,  com 
manding  the  regiment  which  should  have  been  yours. 
Within  three  months  he  had  converted  all  the  family 
property  into  cash  and  departed.  There  was  a  rumor 
that  he  was  engaged  in  the  cattle  business." 

"  You  actually  expect  me  to  believe  all  this  —  that 
you  knew  nothing  of  his  plans  —  were  not,  indeed,  a 
part  of  them?  " 

"  I  am  indifferent  as  to  what  you  believe,"  she  re 
plied  coldly.  "  But  you  are  ungentlemanly  to  express 
yourself  so  freely.  Why  should  you  say  that?" 

"  Because  I  chance  to  know  more  than  you  suppose. 
Never  mind  how  the  information  reached  me;  had  it 
been  less  authentic  you  might  find  me  now  more  sus 
ceptible  to  your  presence,  more  choice  in  my  language. 
A  carefully  conceived  plot  drove  me  from  the  Con 
federate  service,  in  which  you  were  as  deeply  involved 
as  Le  Fevre.  Its  double  object  was  to  advance  him  in 
rank  and  get  me  out  of  the  way.  The  plan  worked 

181 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

perfectly;  I  could  have  met  and  fought  either  object 
alone,  but  the  two  combined  broke  me  utterly.  I  had 
no  spirit  of  resistance  left.  Yet  even  then  —  in  spite 
of  that  miserable  letter  —  I  retained  faith  in  you.  I 
returned  home  to  learn  the  truth  from  your  own  lips, 
only  to  discover  you  had  already  gone.  I  was  a  month 
learning  the  facts;  then  I  discovered  you  had  married 
Le  Fevre  in  Richmond;  I  procured  the  affidavit  of  the 
officiating  clergyman.  Will  you  deny  now  ?  " 

"No,"  changing  her  manner  instantly — "what  is 
the  use?  I  married  the  man,  but  I  was  deceived,  mis 
led.  There  was  no  conspiracy  in  which  I  was  con 
cerned.  I  did  not  know  where  you  were;  from  then 
until  this  afternoon  I  never  saw  or  heard  of  you. 
Molly  told  me  of  her  rescue  by  a  soldier  named  Ham- 
lin,  but  I  never  suspected  the  truth  until  we  drove  by 
the  barracks.  Then  I  yielded  to  my  first  mad  impulse 
and  sent  that  note.  If  you  felt  toward  me  with  such 
bitterness,  why  did  you  come  here?  Why  consent  to 
meet  me  again?  " 

"  My  yielding  was  to  a  second  impulse.  At  first 
I  decided  to  ignore  your  note;  then  came  the  second 
consideration  —  Miss  McDonald." 

"  Oh,"  and  she  laughed,  "  at  last  I  read  the 
riddle.  Not  satisfied  with  saving  that  young  lady  from 

182 


AT  CROSS-PURPOSES 

savages,  you  would  also  preserve  her  youthful  innocence 
from  the  contamination  of  my  influence.  Quite  noble 
of  you,  surely.  Are  you  aware  of  our  relation 
ship?" 

"  I  have  heard  it  referred  to  —  garrison  rumor." 

"  Quite  true,  in  spite  of  your  source  of  information, 
which  accounts,  in  a  measure,  for  my  presence  here  as 
well  as  my  intimacy  in  the  McDonald  household.  And 
you  propose  interfering,  plan  to  drive  me  forth  from 
this  pleasant  bird's  nest.  Really  you  amuse  me,  Mr. 
Sergeant  Hamlln." 

"  But  I  have  not  proposed  anything  of  that  nature," 
the  man  said  quietly,  rising  to  his  feet.  "  It  is,  of 
course,  nothing  to  me,  except  that  Miss  McDonald  has 
been  very  kind  and  seems  a  very  nice  girl.  As  I  knew 
something  of  you  and  your  past,  I  thought  perhaps 
you  might  realize  how  much  better  it  would  be  to 
retire  gracefully." 

"  You  mean  that  as  a  threat?  You  intend  to  tell 
her?" 

"  Not  unless  it  becomes  necessary;  I  am  not  proud  of 
the  story  myself." 

Their  eyes  met,  and  there  was  no  shadow  of  softness 
in  either  face.  The  woman's  lips  curled  sarcastically. 

"  Really,  you  take  yourself  quite  seriously,  do  you 

183 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

not?  One  might  think  you  still  Major  of  the  Fourth 
Texas,  and  heir  to  the  old  estate  on  the  Brazos.  You 
talked  that  way  to  me  once  before,  only  to  discover 
that  I  had  claws  with  which  to  scratch.  Don't  make 
that  mistake  again,  Mr.  Sergeant  Hamlin,  or  there 
will  be  something  more  serious  than  scratching  done. 
I  have  learned  how  to  fight  in  the  past  few  years  — 
Heaven  knows  I  have  had  opportunity  —  and  rather 
enjoy  the  excitement.  How  far  would  your  word  go 
with  Molly,  do  you  think?  Or  with  the  Major?" 
'  That  remains  to  be  seen." 

"  Does  it?  Oh,  I  understand.  You  must  still  con 
sider  yourself  quite  the  lady-killer.  Well,  let  me  tell 
you  something  —  she  is  engaged  to  Lieutenant 
Gaskins." 

His  hand-grip  tightened  on  the  rail,  but  there  was 
no  change  in  the  expression  of  his  face. 

"  So  I  had  heard.  I  presume  that  hardly  would 
have  been  permitted  to  happen  but  for  the  existence 
of  a  Mr.  Dupont.  By  the  way,  which  one  of  you 
ladies  shot  the  Lieutenant?  " 

It  was  a  chance  fire,  and  Hamlin  was  not  sure  of 
its  effect,  although  she  drew  a  quick  breath,  and  her 
voice  faltered. 

"Shot  —  Lieutenant  Gaskins?" 

184 


AT  CROSS-PURPOSES 

"  Certainly;  you  must  be  aware  of  that?  " 

u  Oh,  I  knew  he  had  some  altercation,  and  was 
wounded;  he  accused  you,  did  he  not?  But  why  bring 
us  into  the  affair?  " 

"  Because  some  woman  was  directly  concerned  in 
it.  Whoever  she  may  be,  the  officers  of  the  fort  are 
convinced  that  she  probably  fired  the  shot;  that  the 
Lieutenant  knows  her  Identity,  and  is  endeavoring  to 
shield  her  from  discovery." 

"  Why  do  they  think  that?  What  reason  can  they 
have  for  such  a  conclusion?  Was  she  seen?  " 

"  Her  footprints  were  plainly  visible,  and  the  re 
volver  used  was  a  small  one  —  a  '36' — such  as  a 
woman  alone  would  carry  in  this  country.  I  have  said 
so  to  no  one  else,  but  I  saw  her,  crouching  in  the 
shadow  of  the  barrack  wall." 

"  You  —  you  saw  her?     Recognized  her?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  made  no  attempt  at  arrest?  Have  not  even 
mentioned  the  fact  to  others?  You  must  have  a  rea 
son?" 

"  I  have,  Mrs.  Dupont,  but  we  will  not  discuss  it 
now.  I  merely  wish  you  to  comprehend  that  if  it  is 
to  be  war  between  us,  I  am  in  possession  of  weapons." 

She  had  not  lost  control  of  herself,  yet  there  was 

185 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

that  about  her  hesitancy  of  speech,  her  quick  breathing, 
which  evidenced  her  surprise  at  this  discovery.  It  told 
him  that  he  had  played  a  good  hand,  had  found  a  point 
of  weakness  in  her  armor.  The  mystery  of  it  remained 
unsolved,  but  this  woman  knew  who  had  shot  Gaskins; 
knew,  and  had  every  reason  to  guard  the  secret.  He 
felt  her  eyes  anxiously  searching  his  face,  and  laughed 
a  little  bitterly. 

"  You  perceive,  madam,"  he  went  on,  encouraged  by 
her  silence,  "  I  am  not  now  exactly  the  same  unsus 
pecting  youth  with  whom  you  played  so  easily  years 
ago.  I  have  learned  some  of  life's  lessons  since ;  among 
them  how  to  fight  fire  with  fire.  It  is  a  trick  of  the 
plains.  Do  you  still  consider  it  necessary  for  your 
happiness  to  remain  the  guest  of  the  McDonalds?  " 

She  straightened  up,  turning  her  eyes  away. 

"  Probably  not  for  long,  but  it  is  no  threat  of  yours 
which  influences  me.  It  does  not  even  interest  me  to 
know  who  shot  Lieutenant  Gaskins.  He  is  a  vulgar 
little  prig,  only  made  possible  by  the  possession  of 
money.  However,  when  I  decide  to  depart  I  shall 
probably  do  so  without  consulting  your  pleasure."  She 
hesitated,  her  voice  softening  as  though  in  change  of 
mood.  '  Yet  I  should  prefer  parting  with  you  in 
friendship.  In  asking  you  to  meet  me  to-night  I  had  no 

186 


AT  CROSS-PURPOSES 

intention  of  quarrelling;  merely  yielded  to  an  impulse 
of  regret  for  the  past  — " 

The  heavy  curtain  draping  the  window  was  drawn 
aside,  permitting  the  light  from  within  to  flash  upon 
them,  revealing  the  figure  of  a  man  in  uniform. 

"  Pardon  my  interruption,"  he  explained,  bowing, 
"  but  you  were  gone  so  long,  Mrs.  Dupont,  I  feared 
some  accident." 

She  laughed  lightly. 

'  You  are  very  excusable.     No  doubt  I  have  been 
here  longer  than  I  supposed." 

The  officer's  eyes  surveyed  the  soldier  standing 
erect,  his  hand  lifted  in  salute.  The  situation  puzzled 
him. 

"  Sergeant  Hamlin,  how  are  you  here  ?     On  leave  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Of  course  this  is  rather  unusual,  Captain  Bar 
rett,"  said  the  lady  hastily,  tapping  the  astonished  of 
ficer  lightly  with  her  fan,  "  but  I  was  once  quite  well 
acquainted  with  Sergeant  Hamlin  when  he  was  a  major 
of  the  Fourth  Texas  Infantry  during  the  late  war. 
He  and  my  husband  were  intimates.  Naturally  I  was 
delighted  to  meet  with  him  again." 

The  Captain  stared  at  the  man's  rigid  figure. 

"  Good  Lord,  I  never  knew  that,  Hamlin,"  he  ex- 

187 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

claimed.  "  Glad  to  know  it,  my  man.  You  see,"  he 
explained  lamely,  "  we  get  all  kinds  of  fellows  in  the 
ranks,  and  are  not  interested  in  their  past  history. 
I  Ve  had  Hamlin  under  my  command  for  two  years 
now,  and  hanged  if  I  knew  anything  about  him,  ex 
cept  that  he  was  a  good  soldier.  Were  you  ready  to 
go,  Mrs.  Dupont?" 

"  Oh,  yes;  we  have  exhausted  all  our  reminiscences. 
Good-bye,  Sergeant;  so  glad  to  have  met  you  again." 

She  extended  her  ungloved  hand,  a  single  diamond 
glittering  in  the  light.  He  accepted  it  silently,  aware 
of  the  slight  pressure  of  her  fingers.  Then  the  Cap 
tain  assisted  her  through  the  window,  and  the  falling 
curtain  veiled  them  from  view. 


188 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

ANOTHER   MESSAGE 

HAMLIN  sank  back  on  the  bench  and  leaned  his 
head  on  his  hand.  Had  anything  been  ac 
complished  by  this  interview?  One  thing,  at  least  — 
he  had  thoroughly  demonstrated  that  the  charm  once 
exercised  over  his  imagination  by  this  beautiful  woman 
had  completely  vanished.  He  saw  her  now  as  she  was 
—  heartless,  selfish,  using  her  spell  of  beauty  for  her 
own  sordid  ends.  If  there  had  been  left  a  shred  of 
romance  in  his  memory  of  her,  it  was  now  completely 
shattered.  Her  coolness,  her  adroit  changing  of 
moods,  convinced  him  she  was  playing  a  game.  What 
game?  Nothing  in  her  words  had  revealed  its  nature, 
yet  the  man  instinctively  felt  that  it  must  involve 
Molly  McDonald.  Laboriously  .he  reviewed,  word 
by  word,  each  sentence  exchanged,  striving  to  find  some 
clue.  He  had  pricked  her  in  the  Gaskins  affair,  there 
was  no  doubt  of  that;  she  knew,  or  at  least  suspected, 
the  party  firing  the  shot.  She  denied  at  first  having 
been  married  to  Le  Fevre,  and  yet  later  had  been  com- 

189 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

pelled  to  acknowledge  that  marriage.  There  then  was 
a  deliberate  falsehood,  which  must  have  been  told  for 
a  purpose.  What  purpose?  Did  she  imagine  it 
would  make  any  difference  with  him,  or  did  she  seek  to 
shield  Le  Fevre  from  discovery?  The  latter  reason 
appeared  the  more  probable,  for  the  man  must  have 
been  in  the  neighborhood  lately,  else  where  did  that 
haversack  come  from? 

So  engrossed  was  Hamlin  with  these  thoughts  that 
he  hardly  realized  that  some  one  had  lifted  the  win 
dow  curtain  cautiously.  The  beam  of  light  flashed 
across  him,  disappearing  before  he  could  lift  his  head 
to  ascertain  the  cause.  Then  a  voice  spoke,  and  he 
leaned  back  to  listen. 

"Not  there;  gone  back  to  the  dance  likely,  while 
we  were  at  the  bar." 

"Nobody  out  there?"  this  fellow  growled  his 
words. 

"Some  soldier  asleep  with  his  head  on  the  rail; 
drunk,  I  reckon.  Who  was  she  with  this  time?" 

"  Barrett." 

"Who?  Oh,  yes,  the  fellow  who  brought  in  that 
troop  of  the  Seventh.  Lord,  the  old  girl  is  getting 
her  hooks  into  him  early.  Well,  as  long  as  Gaskins  is 
laid  up,  she  may  as  well  amuse  herself  somewhere  else. 

190 


ANOTHER  MESSAGE 

Barrett  is  rather  a  good  looker,  isn't  he?  Do  you 
know  anything  about  the  man?  Has  he  got  any 
stuff?" 

"Don't  know,"  answered  the  gruff  voice.  "He's 
a  West  Pointer.  Vera  likes  to  amuse  herself  once  in 
a  while ;  that 's  the  woman  of  it.  Heard  from  Gaskins 
to-night?" 

"Oh,  he's  all  right,"  the  man  laughed.  "That 
little  prick  frightened  him  though.  Shut  up  like  a 
clam." 

"  So  I  heard.  He  '11  pay  to  keep  the  story  quiet, 
all  right.  As  soon  as  he  is  well  enough  to  come  down 
here,  we  '11  tap  his  bundle.  Swore  he  was  shot  by  a 
cavalry  sergeant,  didn't  he?  " 

"  And  sticks  to  it  like  a  mule.  Must  have  it  in  for 
that  fellow.  Well,  it  helped  our  get-a-way." 

"  Yes,  we  're  safe  enough,  unless  Gaskins  talks,  and 
he  's  so  in  love  with  the  McDonald  girl  he  '11  spiel 
out  big  rather  than  have  any  scandal  now.  Wish  I 
could  get  a  word  with  Vera  to-night;  she  ought  to  see 
him  to-morrow  —  compassion,  womanly  sympathy,  and 
all  that  rot,  you  know,  helps  the  game.  Let 's  drift 
over  toward  the  Palace,  Dan,  and  maybe  I  can  give 
her  the  sign." 

Hamlin  caught  a  glimpse  of  their  backs  as  they 

191 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

passed  out  —  one  in  infantry  fatigue,  the  other,  a 
heavier  built  man,  fairly  well  dressed  in  citizen's 
clothes.  Inspired  by  a  desire  to  see  their  features  the 
Sergeant  swung  himself  over  the  rail,  and  dropped 
lightly  to  the  ground.  In  another  moment  he  was  out 
on  the  street,  in  front  of  the  hotel,  watching  the  open 
door.  The  two  passed  within  a  few  feet  of  him, 
clearly  revealed  in  the  light  streaming  from  the  dance 
hall.  The  soldier  lagged  somewhat  behind,  an  in 
significant,  rat-faced  fellow,  but  the  larger  man  walked 
straight,  with  squared  shoulders.  He  wore  a  broad- 
brimmed  hat  pulled  low  over  his  eyes,  and  a  black 
beard  concealed  the  lower  portion  of  his  face.  Ham- 
lin  followed  as  the  two  pushed  their  way  up  among  the 
idle  crowd  congregated  on  the  wooden  steps,  and 
peered  in  through  the  wide  doorway.  Satisfied  that 
he  would  recognize  both  worthies  when  they  met  again, 
and  realizing  now  something  of  the  plot  being  operated, 
Hamlin  edged  in  closer  toward  the  sergeant  who  was 
guarding  the  entrance.  The  latter  recognized  him  with 
a  nod. 

"  Pretty  busy,  Masters?  " 

"  Have  been,  but  there  will  be  a  lull  now ;  when  they 
come  back  from  supper  there  '11  be  another  rush  likely. 

192 


ANOTHER  MESSAGE 

Would  you  mind  taking  my  job  a  minute  while  I  go 
outside?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least;  take  your  time.  Let  me  see  what 
the  tickets  look  like.  That 's  all  right  —  say,  Masters, 
before  you  go,  do  you  know  that  big  duffer  with  a 
black  beard  in  the  front  line?  " 

The  other  gave  a  quick  glance  down  the  faces. 

"I've  seen  him  before;  dealt  faro  at  the  Poodle 
Dog  a  while ;  said  to  be  a  gun-man.  Never  heard  his 
name.  Oh,  yes,  come  to  think  about  it,  they  called 
him  '  Reb  ' —  Confed  soldier,  I  reckon.  Ain't  seen 
him  before  for  a  month.  Got  into  some  kind  of  a 
shootin'  scrap  up  at  Mike  Kelly's  and  skipped  out 
ahead  of  the  marshal.  Why?  " 

"Nothing  particular  —  looks  familiar,  that's  all. 
Who  's  the  soldier  behind  him  —  the  thin-faced  runt?  " 

"  Connors.  Some  river-rat  the  recruiting  officers 
picked  up  in  New  York;  in  the  guard-house  most  of 
the  time;  driver  for  Major  McDonald  when  he  hap 
pens  to  be  sober  enough." 

'  That  is  where  I  saw  him  then,  driving  the  ladies. 
Knew  I  had  seen  that  mug  before." 

Left  alone,  except  for  the  infantry  man  at  the  other 
side  of  the  entrance,  and  with  nothing  to  do  beyond 
13  193 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

keeping  back  the  little  crowd  of  curious  watchers 
thronging  the  steps,  Hamlin  interested  himself  in  the 
assembly,  although  keenly  conscious  of  those  two  men 
who  continued  to  linger,  staring  into  the  brilliantly 
lighted  room.  That  the  two  were  closely  involved 
with  Mrs.  Dupont  in  some  money-making  scheme, 
closely  verging  on  crime,  was  already  sufficiently  clear 
to  the  Sergeant's  mind.  He  had  overheard  enough  to 
grasp  this  fact,  yet  the  full  nature  of  the  scheme  was 
not  apparent.  Without  doubt  it  involved  Gaskins  as 
a  victim;  possibly  Barrett  also,  but  Hamlin  was  not  in 
clined  to  interfere  personally  for  the  protection  of 
either  of  these  officers.  They  could  look  after  them 
selves,  and,  if  they  succumbed  to  the  charms  of  the 
lady,  and  it  cost  something,  why,  that  was  none  of 
his  affair.  But  somehow  the  suspicion  had  come  to 
him  that  he  had  accidentally  stumbled  upon  a  more 
complicated  plot  than  mere  blackmail.  Mrs.  Dupont's 
intimacy  with  Molly,  and  the  use  she  was  making  of  her 
distant  relationship  with  the  Major  to  further  her  ends, 
made  him  eager  to  delve  deeper  into  her  real  purpose. 
At  least  these  two,  apparently  ignorant  of  their 
guest's  true  character,  should  be  warned,  or,  if  that 
was  impossible,  protected  from  imposture.  Their  open 
friendliness  and  social  endorsement  were  the  woman's 

194 


ANOTHER  MESSAGE 

stock  in  trade  at  Dodge,  and  whatever  the  final  de 
nouement  might  be,  McDonald  and  his  daughter  would 
inevitably  share  in  the  ensuing  disgrace  of  discovery. 
Even  if  they  were  not  also  victimized,  they  would  be 
held  largely  responsible  for  the  losses  of  others.  Had 
Hamlin  been  a  commissioned  officer  he  would  have 
known  what  to  do  —  his  plain  duty  as  a  friend  would 
have  taken  form  in  a  frankly  spoken  warning.  But, 
as  it  was,  the  chains  of  discipline,  of  social  rank,  made 
it  seemingly  impossible  for  him  to  approach  either  the 
Major  or  his  daughter  openly.  He  did  not  actually 
know  enough  to  venture  such  an  interview,  and  mere 
suspicion,  even  though  coupled  with  his  former  inti 
macy  with  the  woman,  was  not  sufficient  excuse  for  his 
interference.  The  Major  would  treat  the  revelation 
with  indifference,  even  disbelief,  and  Miss  Molly  might 
even  resent  his  meddling  in  the  affair.  Besides  he  was 
not  altogether  convinced  that  the  girl  had  not  been 
actually  present  at,  and  in  some  manner  connected  with, 
the  attack  on  Gaskins.  The  memory  of  that  face, 
shrinking  behind  the  corner  of  the  barrack  wall,  re 
mained  clear  in  his  mind.  He  might  be  mistaken,  but 
perhaps  it  would  be  best  to  go  slow. 

It  was  a  huge,  bare  hall,  although  the  walls  were  con 
cealed  by  flags,  while  other  draperies  were  festooned 

195 


along  the  rafters.  The  band  was  stationed  upon  a 
raised  platform  at  the  rear,  and  a  hundred  couples  oc 
cupied  the  floor.  The  men  present  were  largely  of 
ficers  attired  in  dress-uniforms,  although  there  was  a 
considerable  sprinkling  of  civilians,  a  few  conspicuous 
in  garments  of  the  latest  cut  and  style.  Evidently  in 
vitations  had  been  widely  spread,  and,  considering  time 
and  place,  liberally  responded  to.  Among  the  women 
present  the  Sergeant  saw  very  few  he  recognized,  yet 
it  was  comparatively  easy  to  classify  the  majority  — 
officers'  wives;  the  frontier  helpmates  of  the  more 
prominent  merchants  of  the  town;  women  from  the 
surrounding  ranches,  who  had  deserted  their  homes 
until  the  Indian  scare  ceased;  a  scattered  few  from  pre 
tentious  small  cities  to  the  eastward,  and,  here  and 
there,  younger  faces,  representing  ranchmen's  daugh 
ters,  with  a  school-teacher  or  two.  Altogether  they 
made  rather  a  brave  show,  occasionally  exhibiting 
toilets  worthy  of  admiring  glances,  never  lacking  ardent 
partners,  and  entering  with  unalloyed  enthusiasm  into 
the  evening's  pleasure.  The  big  room  presented  a 
scene  of  brilliant  color,  of  ceaselessly  moving  figures; 
the  air  was  resonant  with  laughter  and  trembling  to 
the  dashing  strains  of  the  band.  Primitive  as  it  was 
in  many  respects,  to  Hamlin,  long  isolated  in  small 

196 


ANOTHER  MESSAGE 

frontier  posts,  the  scene  was  strangely  attractive,  his 
imagination  responding  to  the  glow  of  color,  the  merry 
chime  of  voices,  the  tripping  of  feet.  The  smiling 
faces  flashed  past,  his  ears  caught  whispered  words,  his 
eyes  followed  the  flying  figures.  For  the  moment  the 
man  forgot  himself  in  this  new  environment  of  thought 
less  pleasure. 

From  among  that  merry  throng  of  strangers,  his 
eyes  soon  distinguished  that  one  in  whom  he  felt  spe 
cial  interest  —  Mrs.  Dupont,  dancing  now  with  Mc 
Donald,  the  rather  corpulent  Major  exhibiting  almost 
youthful  agility  under  the  inspiration  of  music.  The 
lady  talked  with  animation,  as  they  circled  among  the 
others  on  the  floor,  her  red  lips  close  to  her  partner's 
ear,  but  Hamlin,  suspicious  and  watchful,  noted  that 
her  eyes  were  busy  elsewhere,  scanning  the  faces. 
They  swept  over  him  apparently  unseeing,  but  as  the 
two  circled  swiftly  by,  the  hand  resting  lightly  on  the 
Major's  shoulder  was  uplifted  suddenly  in  a  peculiar, 
suggestive  movement.  He  stared  after  them  until 
they  were  lost  in  the  crowd,  feeling  confident  that  the 
motion  of  those  white-gloved  fingers  was  meant  as  a 
signal  of  warning.  To  whom  was  it  conveyed?  He 
glanced  aside  at  the  jam  of  figures  in  the  doorway. 
Both  the  black-whiskered  man  and  Connors  had 

197 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

disappeared.     It  was  a  signal  then,   instantly  under 
stood  and  obeyed. 

The  Sergeant  had  scarcely  grasped  this  fact  when 
his  attention  was  diverted  by  the  appearance  of  Miss 
McDonald.  She  was  dancing  with  a  civilian,  an  im 
maculately  dressed  individual  with  ruddy,  boyish  face. 
His  intense  admiration  of  his  partner  was  plainly  evi 
dent,  and  the  girl,  simply  dressed  in  white,  her  cheeks 
flushed,  her  dark  eyes  bright  with  enjoyment,  set  Ham- 
lin's  cool  nerves  throbbing.  He  could  not  resist  gaz 
ing  at  her,  and,  as  their  eyes  met,  she  bowed,  the  full 
red  lips  parting  in  a  smile  of  recognition.  There  was 
no  reservation,  no  restraint  in  that  quick  greeting,  as 
she  whirled  by ;  he  could  not  fail  to  comprehend  its  full 
significance  —  she  had  not  forgotten,  had  no  desire  to 
forget.  What  he  imagined  he  read  in  her  face  swept 
all  else  from  his  mind  instantly,  and,  with  eager  eyes, 
he  followed  her  slight,  girlish  figure  as  they  circled 
the  hall.  The  music  ceased,  and  he  still  watched  as 
the  lad  led  her  to  a  seat,  himself  sinking  into  a  chair 
beside  her.  Then  the  passing  out  of  several  men, 
who  desired  return  checks,  claimed  his  attention. 
When  the  last  of  these  had  disappeared,  he  glanced 
again  in  her  direction.  She  was  alone,  and  her  young 
partner  was  walking  toward  him  across  the  deserted 

198 


ANOTHER  MESSAGE 

floor.  The  lad  came  to  the  door,  which  by  now  con 
tained  few  loiterers,  and  stood  there  a  moment  gazing 
out  into  the  street. 

"Are  you  Sergeant  Hamlin?"  he  asked  quietly. 

"  Yes." 

"  Miss  McDonald  requested  me  to  hand  you  this 
note  unobserved.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  its  con 
tents." 

Hamlin  felt  the  flutter  of  the  paper  in  his  palm,  and 
stood  silent,  clinging  to  it,  as  the  other  carelessly  re- 
crossed  the  room.  She  was  looking  toward  him,  but 
he  made  no  motion  to  unfold  the  missive,  until  his  eyes, 
searching  the  chairs,  had  located  Mrs.  Dupont.  The 
X  very  secret  of  delivery  made  him  cautious,  made  him 
suspect  it  had  to  do  with  that  woman.  She  was  be 
side  the  band-stand,  still  conversing  with  the  Major, 
apparently  oblivious  to  any  other  presence,  her  face 
turned  aside.  Assured  of  this,  he  opened  the  paper, 
and  glanced  at  the  few  hastily  scribbled  lines. 

"  I  trust  you,  and  you  must  believe  I  do  not  do 
this  without  cause.  During  the  intermission  be  in  the 
hotel  parlor." 


199 


CHAPTER  XIX 

A   FULL  CONFESSION 

THERE  were  two  more  dances  scheduled  on  the 
program.  The  last  of  these  had  begun  before 
the  infantry  sergeant  returned,  and,  apologizing  for 
his  long  absence,  resumed  his  duties  at  the  door. 
Across  the  room,  Hamlin's  eyes  met  those  of  Miss  Mc 
Donald,  where  she  danced  with  an  unknown  officer; 
then  he  turned  and  elbowed  his  way  to  the  street. 
The  hotel  opposite  was  all  bustle  and  confusion,  the 
bar-room  crowded  with  the  thirsty  emergency  waiters 
who  had  rushed  about  the  hall  completing  final  prepa 
rations.  The  Sergeant,  intent  on  his  purpose,  and 
aware  that  the  band  had  ceased  playing,  dodged  past 
these  and  entered  the  parlor.  It  was  already  occupied 
by  four  men,  who  were  playing  cards  at  a  small,  round 
table  and  smoking  vigorously,  entirely  engrossed  in 
their  game.  None  of  them  so  much  as  glanced  up,  and 
the  intruder  hesitated  an  instant,  quickly  determining 
his  course  of  action.  There  was  little  choice  left. 
The  girl  would  never  make  an  appointment  with  him 

200 


A  FULL  CONFESSION 

except  through  necessity,  and  it  was  manifestly  his 
duty  to  protect  her  from  observation.  Two  of  the 
men  sitting  there  were  strangers;  the  others  he  knew 
merely  by  sight,  a  tin-horn  gambler  called  Charlie,  and 
a  sutler's  clerk.  His  decision  was  swift,  and  character 
istic. 

"  Gents,"  he  said,  stepping  up,  and  tapping  the  table 
sharply,  "  you  '11  have  to  vamoose  from  here." 

"  What  the  hell  — "  the  gambler  looked  up  into  the 
gray  eyes,  and  stopped. 

"  That 's  all  right,  Charlie,"  went  on  Hamlin 
coolly,  one  hand  at  his  belt.  "  Those  are  my  orders, 
and  they  go.  Hire  a  room  upstairs  if  you  want  to 
keep  on  with  the  game.  Pick  up  the  stuff,  you  fel 
lows." 

"  But  see  here,"  the  speaker  was  upon  his  feet  pro 
testing.  "  The  old  man  told  us  we  could  come  in 
here." 

"  The  old  man's  word  don't  go  for  this  floor  to 
night,  partner.  It 's  rented  by  the  post  officers.  Now 
mosey  right  along,  and  don't  come  back  unless  you  are 
looking  for  trouble  —  you  too,  Fatty." 

Right  or  wrong  there  was  plainly  no  use  continuing 
the  argument,  for  Hamlin's  fingers  were  upon  the  butt 
of  his  revolver,  and  his  eyes  hardened  at  the  delay. 

201 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

The  gambler's  inclination  was  to  oppose  this  summary 
dismissal,  but  a  glance  at  his  crowd  convinced  him  he 
would  have  to  play  the  hand  alone,  so  he  yielded  re 
luctantly,  swept  the  chips  into  the  side  pocket  of  his 
coat  and  departed,  leaving  behind  a  trail  of  profanity. 
The  Sergeant  smiled,  but  remained  motionless  until 
they  disappeared. 

"  The  bluff  works,"  he  thought  serenely,  "  unless 
they  make  a  kick  at  the  office;  some  peeved,  Charlie 
was." 

He  stepped  over  to  the  window,  and  held  back  the 
curtain.  A  burly  figure  occupied  the  bench,  with  feet 
upon  the  rail.  Even  in  that  outside  dimness  could  be 
distinguished  a  black  beard.  The  very  man,  and  the 
Sergeant  chuckled  grimly  with  a  swiftly  born  hope  that 
the  fellow  might  create  a  row.  Nothing  at  that  mo 
ment  could  have  pleased  him  more.  He  blew  out  the 
parlor  light,  partially  closed  the  door,  and  stepped 
forth  on  to  the  porch. 

"  Say,  you,"  he  said  gruffly,  dropping  one  hand 
heavily  on  the  other's  shoulder.  "  Did  you  hear  what 
I  said  to  those  fellows  inside?  Well,  it  goes  out  here 
the  same.  Pack  up,  and  clear  the  deck." 

"  Reb  "  dropped  his  feet  to  the  floor  and  stood  up, 
his  bearded  lips  growling  profanity,  but  Hamlin 

202 


A  FULL  CONFESSION 

gripped  his  wrist,  and  the  man  stopped,  with  mouth 
still  open,  staring  into  the  Sergeant's  face.  All 
bravado  seemed  to  desert  him  instantly. 

"Who  —  who  says  so?"  and  he  stepped  back  far 
ther  into  the  shadow. 

"  I  do,  if  you  need  to  know,"  pleasantly  enough. 
"  Sergeant  Hamlin,  Seventh  Cavalry." 

"  Oh !  "  the  exclamation  came  from  between  clenched 
teeth.  "  Hell,  man,  you  startled  me." 

"So  I  see;  nervous  disposition,  I  reckon.  Well, 
are  you  going  quietly,  or  shall  I  hoist  you  over  the 
rail?" 

"  I  had  an  appointment  here." 

"  Can't  help  that,  partner.  This  porch  is  going  to 
be  vacant  inside  of  one  minute,  or  there  is  a  declaration 
of  war.  Your  easiest  way  out  is  through  that  window, 
but  you  can  go  by  rail  if  you  prefer." 

The  black  beard  wasted  half  his  allowed  time  in  an 
effort  at  bluster;  then,  to  Hamlin's  utter  disgust,  slunk 
through  the  open  window  and  across  the  darkened 
parlor. 

'  The  pusillanimous  cuss,"  the  latter  muttered, 
"  he  's  worse  than  a  cur  dog.  Blamed  if  he  was  n't 
actually  afraid  of  me.  A  gun-fighter  —  pugh !  "  He 
lifted  his  voice,  as  "  Reb  "  paused  in  the  light  of  the 

203 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

hall  beyond  and  glanced  back,  a  fist  doubled  and  up 
lifted.  "Oh,  goon!  Sure,  you '11  get  me?  You  are 
the  brave  boy,  now,"  and  Hamlln  strode  toward  the 
door  threateningly.  "  Lope  along,  son,  and  don't  turn 
around  again  until  you  face  the  bar." 

He  drew  the  door  partially  to  again,  and  sat  down 
facing  the  opening,  where  a  stray  beam  of  light  fell 
across  the  floor.  Thus  far  the  adventure  had  scarcely 
proven  interesting.  The  last  encounter  had  been  a 
distinct  disappointment.  The  dispersal  of  the  card- 
players  was,  as  anticipated,  easily  managed,  but  the 
reputation  of  "  Reb  "  as  killer  and  bad  man  had  given 
him  hope  of  resistance.  But  instead  he  had  proven  a 
perfect  lamb.  Hamlin  crossed  his  legs  and  waited, 
his  mind  divided  in  wonder  between  what  Miss  Mc 
Donald  might  want,  and  the  cowardice  of  the  fellow 
just  driven  out.  The  man  was  actually  afraid  — 
afraid  to  start  a  row.  Yet  he  had  got  to  his  feet  with 
that  intention;  it  was  only  after  he  had  looked  into 
Hamlin's  face  and  asked  his  name,  that  he  began  to 
hedge  and  draw  back.  Could  he  have  recognized 
him?  Could  Mrs.  Dupont  have  warned  him  of 
danger  in  his  direction?  That  would  seem  impossible, 
for  the  woman  had  not  been  with  him  for  even  a 
minute  since  their  conversation.  She  had  given  him 

204 


A  FULL  CONFESSION 

a  swift  signal  at  the  door  of  the  dance  hall,  but  that 
could  scarcely  account  for  his  present  desire  to  avoid 
trouble.  An  engagement?  Probably  with  Mrs.  Du- 
pont.  But  what  was  the  use  of  speculating?  Perhaps 
when  the  girl  came  she  would  have  some  light  to  throw 
on  these  matters.  Surely  her  sudden  determination  to 
see  him  privately  must  have  connection  with  this  af 
fair. 

These  thoughts  came  swiftly,  for  his  period  of  wait 
ing  proved  to  be  but  a  short  one.  He  heard  the 
laughter  and  talk  as  the  merry-makers  came  into  the 
hotel  from  the  dance  hall,  crowding  the  passage,  and 
thronging  in  to  where  the  tables  were  set.  Then  a 
rattle  of  dishes,  and  the  steady  shuffling  of  waiters 
rushing  back  and  forth.  Occasionally  he  could  dis 
tinguish  a  shadow  out  in  the  hall,  but  never  changed 
his  motionless  posture,  or  removed  his  eyes  from  the 
aperture,  until  she  slipped  noiselessly  through  and  stood 
there  panting  slightly,  her  hand  clasping  the  knob  of 
the  door.  Apparently  in  the  semi-darkness  of  the  room 
she  was  uncertain  of  his  presence,  while  her  white 
dress  touched  by  the  outside  reflection  made  her  clearly 
visible. 

"  It  is  all  right,  Miss  McDonald,"  he  murmured 
hastily,  arising.  "  There  is  nothing  to  fear." 

205 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  You  are  here  —  alone?  " 

"  Yes,"  smiling  in  memory.  "  There  were  occu 
pants  when  I  first  arrived,  but  they  were  persuaded  to 
depart.  I  had  a  suspicion  you  might  prefer  it  that 
way." 

"  Yes,"  puzzled  by  his  manner,  yet  softly  pushing 
the  door  back  so  as  to  exclude  the  light.  "  I  can  see 
better  now.  Are  —  are  you  sure  no  one  can  overhear  ? 
I  have  something  to  tell  you  —  something  important." 

1  There  is  no  one  else  here,  yet  some  one  might 
stumble  into  this  room.  It  is  not  private,  you  know. 
We  shall  be  safer  on  the  porch  outside.  Will  you 
take  my  hand,  and  let  me  guide  you?  " 

She  did  so  unhesitatingly,  but  her  fingers  were  cold, 
and  he  could  feel  the  twitching  of  her  nerves. 

"You  are  frightened  —  not  of  me,  surely?" 

"  Oh,  no  1  "  a  slight  catch  in  her  voice,  "  but  I  am 
running  such  a  risk  venturing  here.  I  —  I  had  to 
pretend  a  sick-headache  to  get  away.  You  must  not 
condemn  me  until  you  hear  why  I  came." 

"I  condemn?  Hardly,  Miss  McDonald.  I  am 
merely  a  soldier  receiving  orders;  'mine  not  to  ques 
tion  why.'  Here  is  the  window ;  now  sit  down  on  this 
bench.  I  '11  keep  guard,  and  listen."  His  voice  sank 
lower,  a  little  touch  of  tenderness  in  it  impossible  to 

206 


A  FULL  CONFESSION 

disguise.     "  Are  you  in  trouble  ?     Is  it  something  I 
can  aid  you  to  overcome?  " 

She  did  not  answer  at  once  but  rested  her  chin  in  one 
hand,  and  turned  her  eyes  away.  Her  breath  came 
swiftly,  as  though  she  had  not  yet  recovered  from 
fright,  and  her  face  in  the  dim  light  looked  white  and 
drawn. 

"  Yes,  you  can,"  she  began  slowly,  "  I  am  sure  you 
can.  I  —  I  came  to  you  because  there  was  no  one  else 
in  whom  I  felt  the  same  confidence.  I  know  that 
sounds  strange,  but  I  cannot  explain  —  only  it  seems 
natural  to  trust  some  people  even  when  you  do  not 
know  them  very  well.  I  do  not  suppose  I  know  you 
very  well ;  just  those  few  hours  we  were  together, 
but  —  somehow  I  think  you  are  true." 

"  I  certainly  hope  so,"  he  put  in  earnestly.  "  I 
couldn't  very  well  help  being  —  with  you." 

"  I  believe  that,"  and  she  lifted  her  eyes  to  his  face. 

1  Yet  I  do  not  wish  you  to  think  me  bold,  or  —  or 
indiscreet.     You  do  not  think  so,  do  you  ?  " 

'  That  idea  has  never  once  occurred  to  me,  Miss 
McDonald.     I  am  only  too  glad  to  be  of  service." 

"  It  is  good  of  you  to  say  that;  you  see,  there  was 
no  one  else." 

'  Your  father?  "  he  suggested. 
207 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  But  that  is  the  very  trouble,"  she  insisted,  rejoic 
ing  that  he  had  thus  unconsciously  opened  the  way  to 
her  confession.  ;<  It  is  because  my  father  is  involved, 
is  completely  in  her  toils,  that  I  am  compelled  to  appeal 
to  you.  He  will  not  listen  to  a  word  against  her." 

"Her?     You   refer  to  Mrs.   Dupont?" 

"  Of  course ;  why,  I  had  n't  mentioned  her  name ! 
How  did  you  guess  ?  " 

"  Because  I  am  not  entirely  ignorant  of  conditions," 
he  answered  soberly.  "  Although  I  have  only  been  at 
the  post  a  short  time,  I  have  managed  to  see  and  hear 
a  good  deal.  You  know  I  chanced  to  become  involved 
in  the  shooting  of  Lieutenant  Gaskins,  and  then  I  saw 
you  riding  with  Mrs.  Dupont,  and  recognized  her." 

"Recognized?"  in  surprise.  "Do  you  actually 
mean  you  knew  her  before?  " 

"  Not  as  Mrs.  Dupont,  but  as  Vera  Carson,  years 
ago.  She  knew  me  at  once,  and  sent  your  driver  over 
to  the  barracks  with  a  note." 

11  Why,  how  strange.  She  asked  me  so  many  ques 
tions,  I  wondered  at  the  interest  shown.  Do  you  mind 
telling  me  what  the  note  was  about?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least.  She  referred  to  the  past,  and 
asked  me  to  meet  her." 

14  Were  you  —  very  intimate?     Great  friends?" 

208 


A  FULL  CONFESSION 

"  We  were  engaged  to  be  married,"  he  acknowledged 
frankly,  his  eyes  upon  her  face.  '  That  was  at  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war,  and  I  was  in  my  senior  col 
lege  year.  We  met  at  school,  and  I  was  supposed  to  be 
the  heir  to  a  large  property.  She  is  a  beautiful  woman 
now,  and  she  was  a  beautiful  girl  then.  I  thought  her 
as  good  and  true  as  she  was  charming.  Since  then  I 
have  learned  her  selfishness  and  deceit,  that  it  was  my 
money  which  attracted  her,  and  that  she  really  loved 
another  man,  a  classmate." 

She  glanced  up  at  him  as  he  paused,  but  he  resumed 
the  story  without  being  interrupted. 

'  The  war  came,  and  I  enlisted  at  once,  and  re 
ceived  a  commission.  Almost  our  entire  class  went,  and 
the  man  she  really  loved  was  next  below  me  in  rank." 

"Eugene  Le  Fevre?" 

'  Yes;  how  did  you  know?  Oh,  I  told  you  of  him 
out  there  in  the  sand-hills.  Well,  I  urged  her  to  marry 
me  before  I  went  to  the  front,  but  she  made  excuses. 
Later,  I  understood  the  reason  —  she  was  uncertain 
as  to  my  inheriting  the  property  of  an  uncle.  We  were 
ordered  to  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Once  I 
went  home  on  furlough,  severely  wounded.  We  were 
to  be  married  then,  but  I  had  not  sufficiently  recovered 
when  I  was  suddenly  ordered  back  to  the  front.  I 
14  209 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

did  suspect  then,  for  the  first  time,  that  she  was 
glad  of  the  respite.  I  afterwards  discovered  that  dur 
ing  all  this  time  she  was  in  correspondence  with  Le 
Fevre,  who  had  been  detailed  on  Early's  staff.  It 
was  his  influence  which  brought  about  my  sudden,  un 
expected  recall  to  duty.  A  few  months  later  I  was 
promoted  major,  and,  at  Fisher's  Hill,  found  myself 
commanding  the  regiment.  Early  in  the  action  Le 
Fevre  brought  me  an  order;  it  was  delivered  verbally, 
the  only  other  party  present  a  corporal  named  Shultz, 
a  German  knowing  little  English.  Early's  exact  words 
were :  '  Advance  at  once  across  the  creek,  and  engage 
the  enemy  fiercely;  a  supporting  column  will  move  im 
mediately.'  Desperate  as  the  duty  involved  appeared, 
there  was  nothing  in  the  order  as  given  to  arouse  sus 
picion.  In  obedience  I  flung  my  command  forward, 
leading  them  on  foot.  We  charged  into  a  trap,  and 
were  nearly  annihilated,  and  Shultz  was  either  killed, 
or  made  prisoner.  Two  days  later  I  was  arrested 
under  charges,  was  tried  by  court-martial,  and  dis 
missed  from  the  service  in  disgrace.  Early  produced 
a  copy  of  his  written  order;  it  read  '  cautiously  feel  the 
enemy's  position,'  and  Le  Fevre  went  on  the  stand,  and 
swore  the  original  had  been  delivered  to  me.  I  had 
no  witnesses." 

210 


A  FULL  CONFESSION 

She  watched  him  with  wide-open  eyes,  her  lips 
parted. 

"  And  she  —  this  Vera  Carson?  " 

The  man  laughed  bitterly. 

"  Wrote  him  a  letter,  which  the  man  actually  had 
the  nerve  to  show  me  when  I  was  helpless,  proving 
her  falsity.  I  would  not  believe,  and  went  back  seek 
ing  her.  But  she  had  departed  —  no  one  knew  where 
—  but  had  first  convinced  herself  that  my  name  had 
been  erased  from  my  uncle's  will.  Two  months  later 
I  heard  that  she  married  Le  Fevre  in  Richmond." 

"  And  she  —  that  woman  —  actually  asked  you  to 
meet  her  again  to-night?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Did  you?" 

"  I  must  plead  guilty." 

"Where?" 

"Here;  just  where  we  are  now;  we  were  together 
half  an  hour." 

She  half  arose  to  her  feet,  her  hand  grasping  the  rail. 

"  But  I  cannot  understand.  Why  should  you?  Do 
you  — " 

"No;  wait,"  he  interrupted,  venturing  to  touch  her 
arm.  "  I  came,  not  because  of  any  interest  in  her, 
Miss  Molly  —  but  for  you." 

211 


CHAPTER  XX 

MOLLY   TELLS    HER    STORY 

HER  breath  came  in  a  little  sob,  and  she  sank  back 
on  the  bench. 

"  For  me?     How  do  you  mean?" 

"  Surely  I  had  every  reason  to  distrust  her,  to  ques 
tion  her  character,  and  I  could  not  believe  you  realized 
the  sort  of  woman  she  is.  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  discover 
her  purpose  here,  and  to  warn  you  if  possible." 

"And  you  have  succeeded?  You  learned  her  pur 
pose  in  your  interview?" 

"  Not  exactly,"  with  regret.  "  My  suspicion  was 
merely  stimulated.  To  tell  the  truth,  we  rather 
drifted  into  a  renewal  of  our  old  quarrel.  However, 
between  what  she  said,  and  parts  of  another  conver 
sation  overheard,  I  know  there  is  a  blackmailing  con 
spiracy  on  foot  in  which  you  are  involved.  May  I 
speak  very  frankly?" 

"  I  certainly  desire  it,"  proudly.  "  I  am  not  aware 
that  I  have  anything  to  conceal." 

"  Apparently  the  scheme  these  people  have  on  foot 

212 


MOLLY  TELLS  HER  STORY 

originated  about  Lieutenant  Gaskins.  He  is  wealthy, 
I  understand?  " 

"  I  have  been  told  so;  yes,  I  know  he  is." 

"  This  knowledge,  coupled  with  the  fact  of  your 
engagement  — " 

"My  what?" 

"  Your  engagement.  I  had  heard  it  rumored  be 
fore,  and  Mrs.  Dupont  assured  me  it  was  true." 

"  But  it  is  not  true,  Sergeant  Hamlin  " —  indig 
nantly.  "  I  cannot  imagine  how  such  a  report  ever 
started.  Lieutenant  Gaskins  has  been  very  friendly; 
has  — "  her  voice  breaking  slightly,  "  even  asked  me 
to  marry  him,  but  —  but  I  told  him  that  was  impossible. 
He  has  been  just  as  kind  to  me  since,  but  there  is 
nothing,  absolutely  nothing  between  us.  I  have  never 
spoken  about  this  before  to  any  one." 

If  Hamlin's  heart  leaped  wildly  at  this  swift  denial, 
there  was  no  evidence  of  it  in  his  quiet  voice. 

'  The  point  is,  Miss  Molly,  that  Mrs.  Dupont,  and 
those  connected  with  her,  think  otherwise.  They  are 
presuming  on  Gaskins'  being  in  love  with  you.  Mrs. 
Dupont  can  be  very  seductive.  Little  by  little  she  has 
drawn  the  Lieutenant  into  her  net.  Believing  him 
engaged  to  you,  they  have  him  now  where  he  must 
either  pay  money  for  silence  or  be  exposed.  Just  how 

213 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

it  was  worked,  I  do  not  know.  The  shooting  last 
night  was  done  to  convince  him  they  were  serious. 
The  fact  that  Gaskins  later  denied  knowing  who  his 
assailants  were  —  even  endeavored  to  accuse  me  —  is 
abundant  proof  of  their  success."  He  hesitated,  won 
dering  at  her  silence.  "  What  puzzles  me  most  is 
why  you  were  present." 

"Present?     Where?" 

"  At  this  quarrel  with  Gaskins  last  evening.  As  I 
ran  by  toward  the  scene  of  the  shooting  I  passed  you 
hiding  at  the  angle  of  the  barrack  wall.  Of  course, 
I  have  mentioned  the  fact  to  no  one.  That  was  why 
I  made  no  attempt  to  defend  myself  when  arrested." 

She  gasped  for  breath,  scarcely  able  to  articulate. 

"You  believe  that?     You  think  that  of  me?" 

"  I  may  have  been  deceived;  I  hope  so;  there  was 
but  little  light,  and  I  got  merely  a  glimpse,"  he  ex 
plained  hastily. 

"  You  were  deceived,"  impetuously.  "  I  was  not 
out  of  the  house  that  evening.  I  was  in  the  parlor 
with  my  father  when  those  shots  were  fired.  You  are 
sure  you  saw  a  woman  there  —  hiding?" 

'There  is  no  doubt  of  that;  her  foot-prints  were 
plainly  to  be  seen  in  the  morning.  This  discovery, 
together  with  the  size  of  the  weapon  used,  resulted 

214 


MOLLY  TELLS  HER  STORY 

in  my  immediate  release.  I  saw  her,  and  imagined 
her  to  be  you.  I  cannot  account  for  the  mistake,  un 
less  you  were  in  my  mind,  and  —  and  possibly  what 
I  had  heard  of  your  connection  with  Gaskins.  Then 
it  must  have  been  Mrs.  Dupont.  That  looks  reason 
able.  But  she  stays  at  your  home,  does  she  not?  " 

"  She  makes  our  house  her  headquarters,  but  is  ab 
sent  occasionally.  Last  night  she  was  here  at  this  ho 
tel.  Well,  we  are  getting  this  straightened  out  a  little 
—  that  is,  if  you  believe  me." 

"  Of  course." 

'  Then  I  am  going  to  question  you.  You  spoke  of 
overhearing  a  conversation  ?  " 

"Yes;  it  was  after  Mrs.  Dupont  had  left.  Cap 
tain  Barrett  came,  and  took  her  away.  I  was  sitting 
here  thinking  when  two  men  came  into  the  parlor." 

"  Who  were  they?     Do  you  know?  " 

"  One  was  the  soldier  who  drives  you  about  —  Con 
nors;  the  other  a  black-bearded,  burly  fellow  called 
'  Reb.'  " 

"  Mr.  Dupont." 

"What?  Is  that  Dupont?  Lord!  No  wonder 
she  's  gone  bad.  Why,  I  thought  her  husband  was  a 
ranchman  down  South  somewhere!  This  fellow  is  a 
tin-horn." 

215 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  He  did  run  cattle  once,  years  ago.  I  think  he 
was  quite  well  off,  but  drank  and  gambled  it  away. 
Papa  told  me  all  about  it,  but  I  found  out  he  was  the 
man  by  accident.  He  —  is  the  one  I  am  really  afraid 
of." 

She  stopped,  her  eyes  deserting  his  face,  and  stared 
out  into  the  darkness.  He  waited,  feeling  vaguely 
that  he  had  not  heard  all  she  intended  to  say. 

"What  more  do  you  know?"  he  asked.  lt  What 
was  it  you.  expected  of  me?" 

She  turned  again,  aroused  by  the  question. 

"  Yes,  I  must  tell  you  as  quickly  as  I  can,  before 
I  am  missed.  I  did  not  know  about  Mrs.  Dupont 
and  Lieutenant  Gaskins.  I  realized  there  was  some 
thing  between  them  —  a  —  a  —  slight  flirtation,  but 
scarcely  gave  that  a  thought.  What  brought  me  here 
was  a  much  more  serious  matter,  yet  this  new  informa 
tion  helps  me  to  comprehend  the  other  —  the  motives, 
I  mean.  Mrs.  Dupont's  maiden  name  was  Vera  Car 
son?" 

"  Certainly;  I  knew  her  family  well." 

"  She  came  here,  and  was  received  into  our  family 
as  a  daughter  of  my  father's  sister.  If  true,  her 
maiden  name  would  have  been  Sarah  Counts.  Papa 
had  no  reason  to  suspect  the  deceit.  He  does  not  now, 

216 


MOLLY  TELLS  HER  STORY 

and  I  doubt  if  even  your  word  would  convince  him, 
for  he  seems  thoroughly  under  her  influence.  There 
has  been  such  a  change  in  him  since  she  came;  not  all 
at  once,  you  know,  but  gradual,  until  now  he  scarcely 
seems  like  the  same  man.  I  —  I  do  not  dislike  Lieu 
tenant  Gaskins;  he  has  been  pleasant  and  attentive, 
but  I  do  not  care  for  him  in  any  other  way.  Yet  papa 
insists  that  I  marry  the  man.  Lately  he  has  been  very 
unkind  about  it,  and  —  and  I  am  sure  she  is  urging 
him  on.  What  can  I  do?  It  is  all  so  unpleasant." 

Hamlin  shook  his  head,  but  without  reply. 

"  You  will  not  tell  me !  Then  I  will  tell  you  I  shall 
say  no!  no!  no!  in  spite  of  them;  I  shall  refuse  to  be 
sold.  But  how  does  that  woman  control  my  father?  " 
she  leaned  closer  in  her  earnestness,  lowering  her  voice. 
"  She  has  not  won  him  by  charms;  he  is  afraid  of  her." 

"  Afraid?     Are  you  certain  of  that?  " 

'Yes.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  I  know;  perhaps  it 
is  all  womanly  instinct,  but  I  do  know  that  he  is  terror 
ized;  that  he  dare  not  oppose  her  wish.  I  have  read 
the  truth  in  his  eyes,  and  I  am  sure  he  is  harsh  to  me 
only  because  he  is  driven  by  some  threat.  What  can 
it  be?" 

'  You  have  never  spoken  to  him  of  your  suspicions? 
Asked  him?" 

217 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  Yes  and  no.  I  tried  once,  and  shall  never  forget 
the  expression  of  his  face.  Then  he  turned  on  me  in 
a  perfect  paroxysm  of  anger.  I  never  even  dared 
hint  at  the  matter  again." 

The  Sergeant  stared  out  into  the  street,  not  know 
ing  what  to  say,  or  how  to  advise.  Almost  unconscious 
of  the  action  his  hand  stole  along  the  rail  until  it 
touched  hers. 

"  If  the  woman  has  not  ensnared  him  by  her  usual 
methods,"  he  said  soberly,  "  and  I  think  myself  you 
are  right  about  that,  for  I  watched  them  together  in 
the  dance  hall  —  I  did  not  comprehend  what  it  meant 
then,  but  it  seemed  to  me  he  actually  disliked  being  in 
her  company  —  then  she  has  uncovered  something  in 
his  past  of  which  he  is  afraid,  something  unknown  to 
you,  which  he  does  not  desire  you  ever  to  know." 

"  Yes,"  softly,  "  that  must  be  true." 

"  No;  it  may  not  be  true;  it  may  all  be  a  lie,  con 
cocted  for  a  purpose.  A  clever  woman  might  so 
manipulate  circumstances  as  to  convince  him  she  held 
his  fate  in  her  hands.  We  must  find  that  out  in  this 
case." 

"But  how,  Sergeant  Hamlin?  He  will  not  tell 
me." 

"  Perhaps  she  will  tell  me  if  I  can  reach  her  alone," 

218 


MOLLY  TELLS  HER  STORY 

he  said  grimly,  "  or  else  that  husband  of  hers  —  Du- 
pont.  He  '11  know  the  whole  story.  It  would  give 
me  pleasure  to  choke  it  out  of  him  —  real  pleasure. 
Then  there  's  Connors,  just  the  sort  of  sneaking  rat  if 
he  can  be  caught  with  the  goods;  only  it  is  not  likely 
he  knows  much.  I  shall  have  to  think  it  all  out,  Miss 
Molly,"  he  smiled  at  her  confidently.  "  You  see,  I 
am  a  bit  slow  figuring  puzzles,  but  I  generally  get  them 
in  time.  You  Ve  told  me  all  you  know?  " 

"  Everything.     It  almost  seems  silly  when  I  try  to 
explain  what  I  feel  to  another." 

"  Not  to  me.     I  knew  enough  before  to  understand. 
But,  perhaps,  you  had  better  go  —  hush,  some  one  is 
%    entering  the  parlor." 

She  got  to  her  feet  in  spite  of  his  restraining  hand, 
startled  and  unnerved. 

"  Oh,  I  must  not  be  seen  here.     Is  there  no  other 
way?" 

"  No;  be  still  for  a  moment;  step  back  there  in  the 
shadow,  and  let  me  go  in  alone." 

He  stepped  forward,  his  grasp  already  on  the  cur 
tain,  when  a  woman's  voice  spoke  within: 

'Yes,  that  was  what  I  meant;  he  does  not  know 
you  —  yet.     But  you  must  keep  away." 


219 


CHAPTER  XXI 

MOLLY   DISAPPEARS 

THE  speaker  was  Mrs.  Dupont,  but  Hamlin's  one 
thought  was  to  prevent  any  discovery  of  Miss 
McDonald.  Without  an  instant's  hesitation  he  drew 
aside  the  curtain,  and  stepped  into  the  room. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  said  quietly,  as  the  two  started 
back  at  his  rather  abrupt  entrance,  "  but  I  did  not  care 
to  overhear  your  conversation.  No  doubt  it  was  in 
tended  to  be  private." 

The  woman  stepped  somewhat  in  advance  of  her 
companion,  as  though  to  shield  him  from  observation, 
instantly  mastering  her  surprise. 

"  Nothing  at  all  serious,  Mr.  Sergeant  Hamlin," 
she  retorted  scornfully.  "  Don't  be  melodramatic, 
please;  it  gets  on  the  nerves.  If  you  must  know,  I 
was  merely  giving  our  ranch  foreman  a  few  final  in 
structions,  as  he  leaves  to-morrow.  Have  you  objec 
tions?  " 

"Assuredly  not  —  your  ranch   foreman,  you  say? 

220 


The  two  started  back  at  his  rather  abrunt  entrance. 


MOLLY  DISAPPEARS 

Met  him  before,  I  think.  You  are  the  fellow  I  or 
dered  out  of  this  room,  are  n't  you?  " 

The  man  growled  something  unintelligible,  but  Mrs. 
Dupont  prevented  any  direct  reply. 

"  That 's  all  right,  John,"  she  broke  in  impatiently. 
"  You  understand  what  I  want  now,  and  need  not  re 
main  any  longer.  I  have  a  word  to  say  myself  to  this 
man." 

She  waited  an  instant  while  he  left  the  room;  then 
her  eyes  defiantly  met  Hamlin's. 

"  I  was  told  you  had  driven  every  one  out  of  here," 
she  said  coldly.  "  What  was  the  game?  " 

"  This  room  was  reserved  — " 

"  Pish !  keep  that  explanation  for  some  one  else. 
You  wanted  the  room  for  some  purpose.  Who  have 
you  got  out  there?  "  she  pointed  at  the  window. 

"  Whether  there  be  any  one  or  not,"  he  answered, 
leaning  against  the  window  frame,  and  thus  barring  the 
passage,  "  I  fail  to  see  wherein  you  are  concerned." 

She  laughed. 

"  Which  remark  is  equivalent  to  a  confession. 
Dave,"  suddenly  changing,  "  why  should  we  quarrel, 
and  misjudge  each  other?  You  cannot  suppose  I 
have  forgotten  the  past,  or  am  indifferent.  Cannot 
you  forgive  the  mistake  of  a  thoughtless  girl?  Is 

221 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

there  any  reason  why  we  should  not  be,  at  least, 
friendly?" 

There  was  an  appeal  in  her  voice,  but  the  man's 
face  did  not  respond. 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  feel  any  bitterness  over  the 
past,"  he  answered  lightly.  "  I  am  willing  enough  to 
blot  that  out.  What  I  am  interested  in  is  the  present. 
I  should  like  to  understand  your  purpose  here  at 
Dodge." 

"  Surely  that  is  sufficiently  clear.  I  am  merely  an 
exile  from  home,  on  account  of  Indian  depredations. 
What  more  natural  than  that  I  should  take  refuge  in 
my  uncle's  house." 

"You  mean  Major  McDonald?" 

"Certainly  —  he  was  my  mother's  only  brother." 

"  I  think  I  have  heard  somewhere  that  the  Major's 
only  sister  married  a  man  named  Counts." 

She  drew  in  her  breath  sharply. 

"  Yes,  of  course  —  her  first  husband." 

"  You  were  a  daughter  then  of  her  first  marriage?  " 

"  Of  course." 

"  But  assumed  the  name  of  Carson  when  she  mar 
ried  again?  " 

"  That  was  when  you  met  me." 

"  The  change  was  natural  enough,"  he  went  on. 

222 


MOLLY  DISAPPEARS 

"  But  why  did  you  also  become  Vera  in  place  of 
Sarah?" 

"Oh,  is  that  it?  Well,  never  attempt  to  account 
for  the  vagaries  of  a  girl,"  she  returned  lightly,  as 
though  dismissing  the  subject.  "  I  presume  I  took  a 
fancy  to  the  prettier  name.  But  how  did  you  know?  " 

"  Garrison  rumor  picks  up  nearly  everything,  and 
it  is  not  very  kind  to  you,  Mrs.  Dupont.  I  hope  I  am 
doing  you  a  favor  in  saying  this.  Your  rather  open 
flirtation  with  Lieutenant  Gaskins  is  common  talk,  even 
among  enlisted  men,  and  I  have  heard  that  your  rela 
tions  with  Major  McDonald  are  peculiar." 

"Indeed!"  with  a  rising  inflection  of  the  voice. 
"  How  kind  of  you,  and  so  delicately  expressed."  She 
laughed.  "And  poor  Major  McDonald!  Really, 
that  is  ridiculous.  Could  you  imagine  my  flirting  with 
him?" 

"  I  have  no  recollection  of  using  that  term  in  this 
connection.  But  you  have  strange  influence  over  him. 
For  some  reason  the  man  is  apparently  afraid  of  you." 

"Afraid  of  me?  Oh,  no!  Some  one  has  been 
fooling  you,  Dave.  I  am  merely  Major  McDonald's 
guest.  I  wonder  who  told  you  that?  Shall  I  guess?  " 

Before  he  could  realize  her  purpose  the  woman  took 
a  hasty  step  forward,  and  swept  aside  the  curtain, 

223 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

thrusting  her  head  past  to  where  she  could  gain  a  view 
outside.  Hamlin  pressed  her  back  with  one  hand, 
planting  himself  squarely  before  the  window.  She 
met  his  eyes  spitefully. 

"  I  was  mistaken  this  time,"  she  acknowledged,  draw 
ing  away,  "  but  I  'd  like  to  know  why  you  were  so 
anxious  to  prevent  my  looking  out.  Do  you  know 
whom  I  thought  you  had  there?" 

"  As  you  please,"  rejoicing  that  the  girl  had  escaped 
notice. 

"  That  little  snip  of  a  Molly.  You  made  a  hit  with 
her  all  right,  and  she  certainly  don't  like  me.  Well, 
delightful  as  it  is  to  meet  you  again,  I  must  be  going." 
She  turned  away,  and  then  paused  to  add  over  her 
shoulder.  "  Don't  you  think  it  would  be  just  as  safe 
for  you  to  attend  to  your  own  business,  Sergeant  Ham 
lin?" 

"And  let  you  alone?" 

"  Exactly;  and  let  me  alone.  I  am  hardly  the  sort 
of  woman  it  is  safe  to  play  with.  It  will  be  worth 
your  while  to  remember  that." 

He  waited,  motionless,  until  assured  that  she  had 
passed  down  the  hall  as  far  as  the  door  of  the  dining- 
room.  The  sound  of  shuffling  chairs  evidenced  the 
breaking  up  of  the  party,  in  preparation  to  return  to 

224 


MOLLY  DISAPPEARS 

the  ballroom.  If  Miss  McDonald's  absence  were  to 
escape  observation,  she  would  have  to  slip  out  now  and 
rejoin  the  others  as  they  left  the  house.  He  again 
turned  down  the  light,  and  held  back  the  curtain. 

"  The  way  is  clear  now,  Miss  Molly." 

There  was  no  response,  no  movement.  He  stepped 
outside,  thinking  the  girl  must  have  failed  to  hear  him. 
The  porch  was  empty.  He  stepped  from  one  end  to 
the  other,  making  sure  she  was  not  crouching  in  the 
darkness,  scarcely  able  to  grasp  the  fact  of  her  actual 
disappearance.  This,  then,  was  why  Mrs.  Dupont  had 
failed  to  see  any  one  when  she  glanced  out.  But  where 
could  the  girl  have  gone?  How  gotten  away?  He 
had  heard  no  sound  behind  him ;  not  even  the  rustle  of 
a  skirt  to  betray  movement.  It  was  not  far  to  the 
ground,  five  or  six  feet,  perhaps ;  it  would  be  perfectly 
safe  for  one  to  lower  the  body  over  the  rail  and  drop. 
The  matted  prairie  grass  under  foot  would  render  the 
act  noiseless.  No  doubt  that  was  exactly  the  way  the 
escape  had  been  accomplished.  Alarmed  by  the  pres 
ence  of  those  others,  suspecting  that  the  woman  within 
would  insist  on  learning  whom  Hamlin  was  attempting 
to  conceal,  possibly  overhearing  enough  of  their  con 
versation  to  become  frightened  at  the  final  outcome, 
Miss  McDonald,  in  sudden  desperation,  had  sur- 
15  225 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

mounted  the  rail,  and  dropped  to  the  ground.  The 
rest  would  be  easy  —  to  hasten  around  the  side  of  the 
house,  and  slip  in  through  the  front  door. 

Assured  that  this  must  be  the  full  explanation,  the 
Sergeant's  cheerfulness  returned.  The  company  of 
officers  and  guests  had  already  filed  out  through  the 
hall;  he  could  hear  voices  laughing  and  talking  in  the 
street,  and  the  band  tuning  up  their  instruments  across 
in  the  dance  hall.  He  would  go  over  and  make  cer 
tain  of  her  presence,  then  his  mind  would  be  at  ease. 
He  passed  out  through  the  deserted  hallway,  arid 
glanced  in  at  the  dining-room,  where  a  number  of  men 
were  gathering  up  the  dishes.  Beyond  this  the  bar 
room  was  crowded,  a  riffraff  lined  up  before  the  sloppy 
bar,  among  these  a  number  in  uniform  —  unattached 
officers  who  had  loitered  behind  to  quench  their  thirst. 
Hamlin  drank  little,  but  lingered  a  moment  just  inside 
the  doorway,  to  observe  who  was  present.  Uncon 
sciously  he  was  searching  for  Dupont,  half  inclined  to 
pick  a  quarrel  deliberately  with  the  fellow  or  with  Con 
nors,  determined  if  he  found  the  little  rat  alone  to 
frighten  whatever  knowledge  he  possessed  out  of  him. 
But  neither  worthy  appeared.  Having  assured  him 
self  of  their  absence,  Hamlin  turned  to  depart,  but 
found  himself  facing  a  little  man  with  long  hair, 

226 


MOLLY  DISAPPEARS 

roughly  dressed,  who  occupied  the  doorway.  The 
hooked  nose,  and  bright  eyes,  peering  forth  from  a 
mass  of  untrimmed  gray  whiskers,  were  familiar. 

"  You  keep  the  junk  shop  down  by  the  express  office, 
don't  you  ?  " 

"  Yep,"  briskly,  scenting  business  in  the  question. 
"  I  'm  Kaplan;  vot  could  I  do  for  you  —  hey?  " 

"  Answer  a  question  if  you  will,  friend.  Do  you 
recall  selling  a  haversack  to  a  traveller  on  the  last 
stage  out  for  Santa  Fe  in  June?  " 

"  Vel,  I  do'  no;  vas  he  a  big  fellow?  Maybe  de 
von  vat  vas  killed  —  hey?  " 

"  Yes ;  his  name  was  Moylan,  post-sutler  at  Fort 
Marcy." 

"  Maybe  dot  vos  it.  Why  you  vant  to  know  — 
hey?" 

"  No  harm  to  you,  Kaplan,"  the  Sergeant  explained. 
"  Only  I  picked  it  up  out  there  after.  Moylan  was 
killed,  and  discovered  by  some  writing  on  the  flap  that 
it  originally  belonged  to  a  friend  of  mine.  I  was 
curious  to  learn  how  it  got  into  your  hands." 

The  trader  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Vud  it  be  worth  a  drink?  "  he  asked  cannily. 

"  Of  course.  Frank,  give  Kaplan  whatever  he 
wants.  Now,  fire  away." 

227 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

'  Vel,"  and  the  fellow  filled  his  glass  deliberately, 
"  it  vas  sold  me  six  months  before  by  a  fellow  vat  had 
a  black  beard — " 

"Dupont?" 

"  Dat  vos  de  name  ov  de  fellar,  yes.  Now  I  know 
it.  I  saw  him  here  again  soon.  You  know  him?  " 

"  By  sight  only;  he  is  not  the  original  owner,  nor 
the  man  I  am  trying  to  trace.  You  know  nothing  of 
where  he  got  the  bag,  I  presume?" 

"  I  know  netting  more  as  I  tell  you  alreatty,"  rather 
disconsolately,  as  he  realized  that  one  drink  was  all 
he  was  going  to  receive. 

Hamlin  elbowed  his  way  out  to  the  street.  He  had 
learned  something,  but  not  much  that  was  of  any  value. 
Undoubtedly  the  haversack  had  come  into  Dupont's 
possession  through  his  wife,  but  this  knowledge  yielded 
no  information  as  to  the  present  whereabouts  of  Le 
Fevre.  When  the  latter  had  separated  from  the 
woman,  this  old  army  bag  was  left  behind,  and,  need 
ing  money,  Dupont  had  disposed  of  it,  along  with 
other  truck,  seemingly  of  little  value. 

The  Sergeant  reached  this  conclusion  quickly,  and, 
satisfied  that  any  further  investigation  along  this  line 
would  be  worthless,  reverted  to  his  earlier  quest  —  the 
safety  of  Miss  McDonald.  Merely  to  satisfy  himself 

228 


MOLLY  DISAPPEARS 

of  her  presence,  he  crossed  the  street  and  glanced  in 
at  the  whirling  dancers.  There  were  few  loiterers  at 
the  doorway  and  he  stood  for  a  moment  beside  the 
guard,  where  he  was  able  to  survey  the  entire  room. 
Mrs.  Dupont  was  upon  the  floor,  and  swept  past  twice, 
without  lifting  her  eyes  in  recognition,  but  neither 
among  the  dancers,  nor  seated,  could  he  discover  Miss 
Molly. 

Startled  at  not  finding  her  present,  Hamlin  searched 
anxiously  for  the  Major,  only  to  assure  himself  of  his 
absence  also.  Could  they  have  returned  to  the  fort 
as  early  as  this?  If  so,  how  did  it  happen  their  guest 
was  still  present,  happily  enjoying  herself?  Of  course 
she  might  be  there  under  escort  of  some  one  else  — 
Captain  Barrett,  possibly.  He  would  ask  the  infantry 
man. 

"  Have  you  seen  Miss  McDonald  since  supper?  " 

The  soldier  hesitated  an  instant,  as  though  endeavor 
ing  to  remember. 

"  No,  I  ain't,  now  you  speak  of  it.  She  went  out 
with  that  kid  over  there,  and  he  came  back  alone. 
Don't  believe  he  's  danced  any  since.  The  Major  was 
here,  though;  Connors  brought  him  a  note  a  few  min 
utes  ago,  and  he  got  his  hat  and  went  out." 

Hamlin  drew  a  breath  of  relief.  "  Girl  must  have 

229 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

sent  for  him  to  take  her  home,"  he  said.     "  Well,  it 's 
time  for  me  to  turn  in  —  good-night,  old  man." 

He  tramped  along  the  brightly  illumined  street,  and 
out  upon  the  dark  road  leading  up  the  bluff  to  the  fort, 
his  mind  occupied  with  the  events  of  the  evening,  and 
those  other  incidents  leading  up  to  them.  There  was 
no  doubt  that  Miss  McDonald  and  her  father  had  re 
turned  to  their  home.  But  what  could  he  do  to  assist 
her?  The  very  knowledge  that  she  had  voluntarily 
appealed  to  him,  that  she  had  come  to  him  secretly 
with  her  trouble,  brought  strange  happiness.  More 
over  his  former  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Dupont  gave 
him  a  clue  to  the  mystery.  Yet  how  was  he  going  to 
unravel  the  threads,  discover  the  motive,  find  out  the 
various  conspirators?  What  were  they  really  after? 
Money  probably,  but  possibly  revenge.  What  did  the 
woman  know  which  enabled  her  to  wield  such  influ 
ence  over  McDonald?  What  was  the  trap  they  pro 
posed  springing?  The  Sergeant  felt  that  he  could 
solve  these  problems  if  given  an  opportunity,  but  he 
was  handicapped  by  his  position;  he  could  not  leave 
his  troop,  could  not  meet  or  mingle  with  the  suspected 
parties;  was  tied,  hand  and  foot,  by  army  discipline. 
He  could  not  even  absent  himself  from  the  post  with 
out  gaining  special  permission.  He  swore  to  himself 

230 


MOLLY  DISAPPEARS 

over  the  hopelessness  of  the  situation,  as  he  tramped 
through  the  blackness  toward  the  guard-house.  The 
sentinel  glanced  at  his  pass,  scrutinizing  it  by  the  light 
of  a  fire,  and  thrust  the  paper  into  his  pocket.  Ham- 
lin  advanced,  and  at  the  corner  saluted  the  officer  of 
the  day,  who  had  just  stepped  out  of  the  guard-house 
door. 

"  Good  evening,  Sergeant,"  the  latter  said  genially. 
"Just  in  from  town?  I  expect  they  are  having  some 
dance  down  there  to-night." 

'  Yes,  sir,"  hesitatingly,  and  then  venturing  the  in 
quiry.  "  May  I  ask  if  Major  McDonald  has  returned 
to  the  post?  " 

"McDonald?  No,"  he  glanced  at  his  watch. 
"  He  had  orders  to  go  east  to  Ripley  on  the  stage. 
That  was  due  out  about  an  hour  ago." 

'To  Ripley?  By  stage?"  the  Sergeant  repeated 
the  words,  dazed.  "  Why  —  why,  what  has  become 
of  Miss  McDonald?" 

The  officer  smiled,  shaking  his  head. 

"  I  'm  sure  I  don't  know,  my  man,"  he  returned 
carelessly.  "  Come  back  with  Barrett  and  his  lady 
love,  likely.  Why?"  suddenly  interested  by  the  ex 
pression  on  the  other's  face.  "What's  happened? 
Is  there  anything  wrong?" 

231 


CHAPTER  XXII 

A   DEEPENING    MYSTERY 

STARTLED  and  bewildered  as  Hamlin  was  by  this 
sudden  revealment,  he  at  once  comprehended  the 
embarrassment  of  his  own  position.  He  could  not 
confess  all  he  knew,  certainly  not  the  fact  that  the 
girl  had  met  him  secretly  and  had  vanished  while  he 
was  endeavoring  to  turn  aside  Mrs.  Dupont.  He 
must  protect  her  at  all  hazards.  To  gain  time,  and 
self-control,  he  replied  with  a  question : 

"  Did  not  Connors  drive  them  down,  sir?  " 

"  Yes,  the  four  of  them." 

"  And  Major  McDonald  knew  then  that  he  was 
ordered  East?  " 

"  No,  the  order  came  by  telegram  later.  An  or 
derly  was  sent  down  about  ten  o'clock.  But,  see  here, 
Sergeant,  I  am  no  Bureau  of  Information.  If  you 
have  anything  to  report,  make  it  brief." 

Hamlin  glanced  at  the  face  of  the  other.  He  knew 
little  about  him,  except  that  he  had  the  reputation  of 
being  a  capable  officer. 

232 


A  DEEPENING  MYSTERY 

"  I  will,  sir,"  he  responded  quickly;  "  you  may  never 
have  heard  of  the  affair,  but  I  was  with  Miss  Mc 
Donald  during  a  little  Indian  trouble  out  on  the  trail 
a  few  months  ago." 

The  officer  nodded. 

"  I  heard  about  that;  Gaskins  brought  her  in." 

"  Well,  ever  since  she  has  seemed  grateful  and 
friendly.  You  know  how  some  women  are;  well, 
she  is  that  kind.  To-night  she  came  to  me,  be 
cause  she  did  n't  seem  to  know  whom  else  to  go  to, 
and  told  me  of  some  trouble  she  was  having.  I 
realize,  Captain  Kane,  that  it  may  seem  a  bit  strange 
to  you  that  a  young  lady  like  Miss  McDonald,  an 
officer's  daughter,  would  turn  for  help  to  an  enlisted 
man,  but  I  am  telling  you  only  the  truth,  sir.  You 
see,  she  got  it  into  her  head  somehow  that  I  was 
square,  and  —  and,  well,  that  I  cared  enough  to  help 
her." 

"  Wait  a  minute,  Sergeant,"  broke  in  Kane,  kindly, 
realizing  the  other's  embarrassment,  and  resting  one 
hand  on  his  sleeve.  '  You  do  not  need  to  apologize 
for  Miss  McDonald.  I  know  something  of  what  is 
going  on  at  this  post,  although,  damn  me  if  I  Ve  ever 
got  on  to  the  straight  facts.  You  mean  that  Dupont 
woman?  " 

233 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

'  Yes,  she  's  concerned  in  the  matter,  but  there  are 
others  also." 

"  Why  could  n't  the  girl  tell  her  father?  " 
"  That  is  where  the  main  trouble  lies,  Captain. 
Major  McDonald  seems  to  be  completely  under  the 
control  of  Mrs.  Dupont.  He  is  apparently  afraid  of 
her  for  some  reason.  That  is  what  Miss  Molly  spoke 
to  me  about.  We  were  on  the  side  porch  at  the  hotel 
talking  while  the  dancers  were  at  supper  —  it  was  the 
only  opportunity  the  girl  had  to  get  away  —  and  Mrs. 
Dupont  and  her  husband  came  into  the  parlor  — " 

"Her  husband?     Good  Lord,  I  thought  her  hus 
band  was  dead." 

"  He  is  n't.     He  's  a  tin-horn  gambler,  known  in  the 
saloons  as  '  Reb,'  a  big  duffer,  wearing  a  black  beard." 
"All  right,  go  on;  I  don't  know,  him." 
"  Well,  I  stepped  into  the  room  to  keep  the  two 
apart,  leaving  the  girl  alone  outside.     We  had  a  bit 
of  talk  before  I  got  the  room  cleared,  and  when  I  went 
back  to  the  porch,  Miss  Molly  had  gone." 
"  Dropped  over  the  railing  to  the  ground." 
"  That 's  what  I  thought  at  the  time,  sir,  but  what 
happened  to  her  after  that?     She  didn't  return  to  the 
hotel ;  she  was  not  at  the  dance  hall,  and  has  n't  come 
back  to  the  post." 

234 


A  DEEPENING  MYSTERY 

"  The  hell  you  say!     Are  you  sure?" 

"  I  am;  I  searched  for  her  high  and  low  before  I 
left,  and  she  could  not  get  in  here  without  passing  the 
guard-house." 

Kane  stared  into  the  Sergeant's  face  a  moment,  and 
then  out  across  the  parade  ground.  A  yellow  light 
winked  in  the  Colonel's  office,  occasionally  blotted  out 
by  the  passing  figure  of  a  sentry.  The  officer  came 
to  a  prompt  decision. 

'  The  '  old  man  '  is  over  there  yet,  grubbing  at  some 
papers.  Come  on  over,  and  tell  him  what  you  have 
told  me.  I  believe  the  lass  will  turn  up  all  right,  but 
it  does  look  rather  queer." 

The  Colonel  and  the  Post  Adjutant  were  in  the  lit 
tle  office,  busy  over  a  pile  of  papers.  Both  officers 
glanced  up,  resenting  the  interruption,  as  Kane 
entered,  Hamlin  following.  The  former  explained 
the  situation  briefly,  while  the  commandant  leaned 
back  in  his  chair,  his  keen  eyes  studying  the  younger 
man. 

;'  Very  well,  Captain  Kane,"  he  said  shortly,  as  the 
officer's  story  ended.  "  We  shall  have  to  examine 
into  this,  of  course,  but  will  probably  discover  the 
whole  affair  a  false  alarm.  There  is,  at  present,  no 
necessity  for  alarming  any  others.  Sergeant,  kindly 

235 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

explain  to  me  why  Miss  McDonald  should  have  come 
to  you  in  her  distress  ?  " 

Hamlin  stepped  forward,  and  told  the  story  again 
in  detail,  answering  the  Colonel's  questions  frankly. 

'  This,  then,  was  the  only  time  you  have  met  since 
your  arrival?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  And  this  Mrs.  Dupont?  You  have  had  a  previous 
acquaintance  with  her?" 

"  Some  years  ago." 
'  You  consider  her  a  dangerous  woman  ?  " 

"  I  know  her  to  be  utterly  unscrupulous,  sir.  I  am 
prepared  to  state  that  she  is  here  under  false  pretences, 
claiming  to  be  a  niece  of  Major  McDonald's.  I  do 
not  know  her  real  purpose,  but  am  convinced  it  is  an 
evil  one." 

The  Colonel  shook  his  head  doubtfully,  glancing  at 
the  silent  adjutant. 

'  That  remains  to  be  proven,  Sergeant.  I  have,  of 
course,  met  the  lady,  and  found  her  pleasant  and  agree 
able  as  a  companion.  Deuced  pretty  too ;  hey,  Ben 
son?  Why  do  you  say  she  masquerades  as  McDon 
ald's  niece?  " 

"  Because  her  maiden  name  was  Carson  and  the 
Major's  sister  married  a  man  named  Counts." 

236 


A  DEEPENING  MYSTERY 

"  There  might  have  been  another  marriage.  Surely 
McDonald  must  know." 

"  Miss  Molly  says  not,  Colonel.  He  has  known 
nothing  of  his  sister  for  over  twenty  years,  and  ac 
cepted  this  woman  on  her  word." 

"Well,  well!  Interesting  situation;  hey,  Benson? 
Like  to  get  to  the  bottom  myself.  Damme  if  it  don't 
sound  like  a  novel.  However,  the  thing  before  us  right 
now  is  to  discover  what  has  become  of  Miss  McDon 
ald."  He  straightened  up  in  his  chair,  then  leaned 
across  the  table.  "  Captain  Kane,  make  a  thorough 
examination  of  McDonald's  quarters  first.  If  the  girl 
is  not  found  there,  detail  two  men  to  accompany  Ser 
geant  Hamlin  on  a  search  of  the  town." 

'  Very  well,  sir;  come  on,  Sergeant." 

'  Just  a  moment  —  if  we  find  the  trail  leads  beyond 
the  town  are  we  authorized  to  continue  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  yes.  Adjutant,  write  out  the  order. 
Anything  more?  " 

"  I  should  prefer  two  men  of  my  own  troop,  sir, 
mounted." 

1  Very  well;  see  to  it,  Captain." 

The  two  men  walked  down  past  the  dark  row  of 
officers'  houses,  the  Sergeant  a  step  to  the  rear  on  the 
narrow  cinder  path.  McDonald's  quarters  were  as 

237 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

black  as  the  others,  and  there  was  no  response  from 
within  when  Kane  rapped  at  the  door.  They  tried  the 
rear  entrance  with  the  same  result  —  the  place  was 
plainly  unoccupied. 

"  Pick  out  your  men,  Hamlin,"  the  Captain  said 
sternly,  "  and  I  '11  call  the  stable  guard." 

Ten  minutes  later,  fully  equipped  for  field  service, 
the  three  troopers  circled  the  guard-house  and  rode 
rapidly  down  the  dark  road  toward  the  yellow  lights 
of  the  town.  The  Sergeant  explained  briefly  the  cause 
of  the  expedition,  and  the  two  troopers,  experienced 
soldiers,  asked  no  unnecessary  questions.  Side  by  side 
the  three  men  rode  silently  into  the  town,  and  Hamlin 
swung  down  from  his  saddle  at  the  door  of  the  dance 
hall.  With  a  word  to  the  guard  he  crossed  the  floor 
to  intercept  Mrs.  Dupont.  The  latter  regarded  his 
approach  with  astonishment,  her  hand  on  Captain  Bar 
rett's  blue  sleeve. 

"  Certainly  not,"  she  replied  rather  sharply  to  his 
first  question.  "  I  am  not  in  charge  of  Miss  Mc 
Donald.  She  is  no  doubt  amusing  herself  somewhere ; 
possibly  lying  down  over  at  the  hotel;  she  complained 
of  a  headache  earlier  in  the  evening.  Why  do  you 
come  to  me?  " 

"  Yes,"  broke  in  the  Captain,  "  that  is  what  I  wish 

238 


A  DEEPENING  MYSTERY 

to  know,  Hamlin.  By  what  authority  are  you 
here?" 

'  The  orders  of  the  Colonel  commanding,  sir,"  re 
spectfully,  yet  not  permitting  his  glance  to  leave  the 
woman's  face.  "  You  insist  then,  madam,  that  you 
know  nothing  of  the  girl's  disappearance?  " 

"  No!  "  defiantly,  her  cheeks  red. 

"  Nor  of  what  has  become  of  Connors,  or  your 
ranch  manager?  " 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders,  endeavoring  to  smile. 

"  The  parties  mentioned  are  of  very  small  interest 
to  me." 

"  And  Major  McDonald,"  he  insisted,  utterly  ig 
noring  the  increasing  anger  of  the  officer  beside  her. 
"Possibly  you  were  aware  of  his  departure?" 

"Yes,"  more  deliberately;  "he  told  me  of  his  or 
ders,  and  bade  me  good-bye  later.  So  far  as  Connors 
is  concerned,  he  was  to  have  the  carriage  here  for  us 
at  two  o'clock.  Is  that  all,  Mr.  Sergeant  Hamlin?" 

4  You  better  make  it  all,"  threatened  the  Captain 
belligerently,  "  before  I  lose  my  temper  at  this  infernal 
impertinence." 

Hamlin  surveyed  the  two  calmly,  confident  that  the 
woman  knew  more  than  she  would  tell,  and  utterly 
indifferent  as  to  the  other. 

239 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  Very  well,"  he  said  quietly,  "  I  will  learn  what  I 
desire  elsewhere.  I  shall  find  Miss  McDonald,  and 
discover  what  has  actually  occurred." 

"  My  best  wishes,  I  am  sure,"  and  the  lady  patted 
the  Captain's  arm  gently.  "  We  are  losing  this 
waltz." 

There  was  but  one  course  for  Hamlin  to  pursue. 
He  had  no  trail  to  follow,  only  a  vague  suspicion  that 
these  plotters  were  in  some  way  concerned  in  the  mys 
terious  disappearance.  Thus  far,  however,  they  had 
left  behind  no  clue  to  their  participation.  Moreover 
he  was  seriously  handicapped  by  ignorance  of  any  mo 
tive.  Why  should  they  desire  to  gain  possession  of 
the  girl?  It  could  not  be  money,  or  the  hope  of  ran 
som.  What  then?  Was  it  some  accident  which  had 
involved  her  in  the  toils  prepared  for  another?  If 
so,  were  those  unexpected  orders  for  Major  McDon 
ald  a  part  of  the  conspiracy,  or  had  their  receipt  com 
plicated  the  affair?  The  Sergeant  was  a  soldier,  not 
a  detective,  and  could  only  follow  a  straight  road  in 
his  investigation.  He  must  circle  widely  until  he 
found  some  trail  to  follow  as  patiently  as  an  Indian. 
There  would  be  tracks  left  somewhere,  if  he  could  only 
discover  them.  If  this  was  a  hasty  occurrence,  in 
any  way  an  accident,  something  was  sure  to  be  left 

240 


A  DEEPENING  MYSTERY 

uncovered,  some  slip  reveal  the  method.  He  would 
trace  the  movements  of  the  father  first,  and  then  search 
the  saloons  and  gambling  dens  for  the  two  men. 
Though  unsuccessful  with  Mrs.  Dupont,  he  knew  how 
to  deal  with  such  as  they. 

The  stage  agent  was  routed  out  of  bed  and  came  to 
the  door,  revolver  in  hand,  startled  and  angry. 

''Who?"  he  repeated.  "Major  McDonald? 
How  the  hell  should  I  know?  Some  officer  went  out 
—  yes ;  heavy  set  man  with  a  mustache.  I  did  n't 
pay  any  attention  to  him;  had  government  transporta 
tion.  There  were  two  other  passengers,  both  men, 
ranchers,  I  reckon ;  none  in  the  station  at  all.  What 's 
that,  Jane?" 

A  woman's  voice  spoke  from  out  the  darkness  be 
hind. 

"  Was  the  soldier  asking  if  Major  McDonald  went 
East  on  the  coach,  Sam?  " 

"  Sure;  what  do  you  know  about  it?" 

"  Why,  I  was  outside  when  they  started,"  she  ex 
plained,  "  and  the  man  in  uniform  was  n't  the  Major. 
"  I  know  him  by  sight,  for  he  's  been  down  here  a 
dozen  times  when  I  was  at  the  desk.  This  fellow  was 
about  his  size,  but  dark  and  stoop-shouldered." 

"And  the  others?"  asked  Hamlin  eagerly. 
16  241 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  I  did  n't  know  either  of  them,  only  I  noticed  one 
had  a  black  beard." 

"A  very  large,  burly  fellow?" 

"  No,  I  don't  think  so.  I  did  n't  pay  special  atten 
tion  to  any  of  them,  only  to  wonder  who  the  officer 
was,  'cause  I  never  remembered  seein'  him  here  before 
at  Dodge,  but,  as  I  recollect,  the  fellow  with  a  beard 
was  rather  undersized;  had  a  shaggy  buffalo-skin  cap 
on." 

Plainly  enough  the  man  was  not  Dupont,  and  Mc 
Donald  had  not  departed  on  the  stage,  while  some 
other,  pretending  to  be  he,  possibly  wearing  his  clothes 
to  further  the  deceit,  had  taken  the  seat  reserved  in 
the  coach.  Baffled,  bewildered  by  this  unexpected 
discovery,  the  Sergeant  swung  back  into  his  saddle,  not 
knowing  which  way  to  turn. 


242 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE    DEAD    BODY 

THAT  both  McDonald  and  his  daughter  were  in 
volved  in  this  strange  puzzle  was  already  clear. 
The  disappearance  of  the  one  was  as  mysterious  as 
that  of  the  other.  Whether  the  original  conspiracy 
had  centred  about  the  Major,  and  Miss  Molly  had 
merely  been  drawn  into  the  net  through  accident,  or 
whether  both  were  destined  as  victims  from  the  first, 
could  not  be  determined  by  theory.  Indeed  the  Ser 
geant  could  evolve  no  theory,  could  discover  no  pur 
pose  in  the  outrage.  Convinced  that  Dupont  and  his 
wife  were  the  moving  spirits,  he  yet  possessed  no  satis 
factory  reason  for  charging  them  with  the  crime,  for 
which  there  was  no  apparent  object. 

Nothing  remained  to  be  done  but  search  the  town, 
a  blind  search  in  the  hope  of  uncovering  some  trail. 
That  crime  had  been  committed  —  either  murder  or 
abduction  —  was  evident;  the  two  had  not  dropped 
thus  suddenly  out  of  sight  without  cause.  Nor  did  it 
seem  possible  they  could  have  been  whisked  away 

243 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

without  leaving  some  trace  behind.  The  town  was  ac 
customed  to  murder  and  sudden  death;  the  echo  of  a 
revolver  shot  would  create  no  panic,  awaken  no  alarm, 
and  yet  the  place  was  small,  and  there  was  little  likeli 
hood  that  any  deed  of  violence  would  pass  long  un 
noticed.  With  a  few  words  of  instruction,  and  hasty 
descriptions  of  both  Dupont  and  Connors,  Hamlin  sent 
his  men  down  the  straggling  street  to  drag  out  the 
occupants  of  shack  and  tent,  riding  himself  to  the  blaz 
ing  front  of  the  "  Poodle  Dog." 

Late  as  the  hour  was,  the  saloon  and  the  gambling 
rooms  above  were  all  crowded.  Hamlin  plunged  into 
the  mass  of  men,  pressing  passage  back  and  forth,  his 
eyes  searching  the  faces,  while  he  eagerly  questioned 
those  with  whom  he  had  any  acquaintance.  Few 
among  these  could  recall  to  mind  either  "  Reb  "  or  his 
boon  companion,  and  even  those  who  did  retained  no 
recollection  of  having  seen  the  two  lately.  The  bar 
tenders  asserted  that  neither  man  had  been  there  that 
night,  and  the  dealers  above  were  equally  positive. 
The  city  marshal,  encountered  outside,  remembered 
Dupont,  and  had  seen  him  at  the  hotel  three  hours 
before,  but  was  positive  the  fellow  had  not  been  on 
the  streets  since.  Connors  he  did  not  know,  but  if 
the  man  was  Major  McDonald's  driver,  then  he  was 

244 


THE  DEAD  BODY 

missing  all  right,  for  Captain  Barrett  had  had  to  em 
ploy  a  livery-man  to  drive  Mrs.  Dupont  back  to  the 
fort.  No,  there  was  no  other  lady  with  her;  he  was 
sure,  for  he  had  watched  them  get  into  the  carriage. 

The  two  troopers  were  no  more  fortunate  in  their 
results,  but  had  succeeded  in  stirring  up  greater  excite 
ment  during  their  exploration,  several  irate  individuals, 
roughly  aroused  from  sleep,  exhibiting  fighting  pro 
pensities,  which  had  cost  one  a  blackened  eye,  and  the 
other  the  loss  of  a  tooth.  Both,  however,  had  en 
joyed  the  occasion,  and  appeared  anxious  for  more. 
Having  exhausted  the  possibilities  of  the  town,  the  sol 
diers  procured  lanterns,  and,  leaving  the  horses  be 
hind,  began  exploring  the  prairie.  In  this  labor  they 
were  assisted  by  the  marshal,  and  a  few  aroused  citi 
zens  hastily  impressed  into  a  posse.  The  search  was 
a  thorough  one,  but  the  ground  nearby  was  so  cut  up 
by  hoofs  and  wheels  as  to  yield  no  definite  results. 
Hamlin,  obsessed  with  the  belief  that  whatever  had 
occurred  had  been  engineered  by  Dupont,  and  recalling 
the  fact  that  the  man  was  once  a  ranchman  somewhere 
to  the  southward,  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
fellow  would  naturally  head  in  that  direction,  seeking 
familiar  country  in  which  to  hide.  With  the  two  troop 
ers  he  pushed  on  toward  the  river,  choosing  the  upper 

245 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

ford  as  being  the  most  likely  choice  of  the  fugitives. 
The  trampled  mud  of  the  north  bank  exhibited  fresh 
tracks,  but  none  he  could  positively  identify.  How 
ever,  a  party  on  horseback  had  crossed  within  a  few 
hours,  and,  without  hesitation,  he  waded  out  into  the 
stream. 

The  gray  of  dawn  was  in  the  sky  as  the  three  troop 
ers,  soaked  to  the  waist,  crept  up  the  south  bank  and 
studied  the  trail.  Behind  them  the  yellow  lanterns 
still  bobbed  about  between  the  river  and  town,  but 
there  was  already  sufficient  light  to  make  visible  the 
signs  underfoot.  Horsemen  had  climbed  the  bank, 
the  hoof  marks  yet  damp  where  water  had  drained 
from  dripping  fetlocks,  and  had  instantly  broken  into 
a  lope.  A  moment's  glance  proved  this  to  Hamlin  as 
he  crept  back  and  forth,  scrutinizing  each  hoof  mark 
intently. 

"  Five  in  the  party,"  he  said  soberly.  "  Three 
mustangs  and  two  American  horses,  cavalry  shod. 
About  three  hours  ahead  of  us."  He  straightened  up, 
his  glance  peering  into  the  gray  mists.  "  I  reckon  it 's 
likely  our  outfit,  but  we  '11  never  catch  them  on  foot. 
They  '11  be  behind  the  sand-dunes  before  this.  Before 
we  go  back,  boys,  we  '11  see  if  they  left  the  trail  where 
it  turns  west." 

246 


THE  DEAD  BODY 

The  three  ran  forward,  paying  little  heed  until  they 
reached  the  edge  of  the  ravine.  Here  the  beaten 
trail  swerved  sharply  to  the  right.  Fifty  feet  beyond, 
the  marks  of  horses'  hoofs  appeared  on  the  sloping 
bank,  and  Hamlin  sprang  down  to  where  the  marks 
disappeared  around  the  edge  of  a  large  bowlder.  His 
hand  on  the  stone,  he  stopped  suddenly  with  quick  in- 
drawing  of  breath,  staring  down  at  a  motionless  figure 
lying  almost  at  his  feet.  The  man,  roughly  dressed, 
lay  on  his  face,  a  bullet  wound  showing  above  one  ear, 
the  back  of  his  neck  caked  with  blood.  The  Sergeant, 
mastering  his  first  sense  of  horror,  turned  him  over 
and  gazed  upon  the  ghastly  face  of  Major  McDonald. 

"  My  God,  they  Ve  murdered  him  here !  "  he  ex 
claimed.  "  Shot  him  down  from  behind.  Look, 
men.  No;  stand  back,  and  don't  muss  up  the  tracks. 
There  are  foot-prints  here  —  Indians,  by  heaven ! 
Three  of  them  Indians !  " 

"  Some  plainsmen  wear  moccasins." 
'  They  don't  walk  that  way  —  toes  in;  and  see  this 
hair  in  McDonald's  fingers  —  that 's  Indian,  sure. 
Here  is  where  a  horse  fell,  and  slid  down  the  bank. 
Is  n't  that  a  bit  of  broken  feather  caught  in  the  bush, 
Carroll?  Bring  it  over  here." 

The  three  bent  over  the  object. 

247 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"Well,  what  do  you  say?  You  men  are  both 
plainsmen." 

"  Cheyenne,"  returned  Carroll  promptly.  "  But 
what  the  hell  are  they  doing  here?  " 

Hamlin  shook  his  head. 

"  It  will  require  more  than  guessing  to  determine 
that,"  he  said  sternly.  "  And  there  is  only  one  way 
to  find  out.  That  fellow  was  a  Cheyenne  all  right, 
and  there  were  three  of  them  and  two  whites  in  the 
party  —  see  here;  the  prints  of  five  horses  ridden,  and 
one  animal  led.  That  will  be  the  one  McDonald  had. 
They  went  straight  up  the  opposite  bank  of  the  ravine. 
If  they  leave  a  trail  like  that  we  can  ride  after  them 
full  speed." 

Carroll  had  been  bending  over  the  dead  officer  and 
now  glanced  up. 

'  There 's    sand    just    below,    Sergeant,"    he    said. 
"  That 's  why  they  are  so  darn  reckless  here." 

"Of  course;  they'll  hide  in  the  dunes,  and  the 
sooner  we  're  after  them  the  better.  Wade,  you  re 
main  with  the  body;  Carroll  and  I  will  return  to  the 
fort  and  report.  We  '11  have  to  have  more  men  — 
Wasson  if  I  can  get  him  —  and  equipment  for  a  hard 
ride.  Come  on,  Jack." 

They  waded  the  river,  and  ran  through  the  town, 

248 


THE  DEAD  BODY 

shouting  their  discovery  to  the  marshal  and  his  posse  as 
they  passed.  Twenty  minutes  later  Hamlin  stood  be 
fore  the  Colonel,  hastily  telling  the  story.  The  latter 
listened  intently,  gripping  the  arms  of  his  chair. 

"  Shot  from  behind,  hey?  "  he  ejaculated,  "  and  his 
clothing  stolen.  Looks  like  a  carefully  planned  affair, 
Sergeant;  sending  that  fellow  through  to  Ripley  was 
expected  to  throw  us  off  the  track.  That 's  why  they 
were  so  careless  covering  their  trail;  expected  to  have 
several  days'  start.  It  is  my  notion  they  never  in 
tended  to  kill  him;  had  a  row  of  some  kind,  or  else 
Mac  tried  to  get  away.  Any  trace  of  the  girl?  " 

"  No;  but  she  must  have  been  there." 

"  So  I  think;  got  mixed  up  in  the  affair  some  way, 
and  they  have  been  compelled  to  carry  her  off  to  save 
themselves.  Do  you  know  why,  they  were  after 
Mac?" 

"  No,  sir." 

"  Well,  I  do;  he  carried  thirty  thousand  dollars." 

"What?" 

"  He  was  acting  paymaster.  The  money  came  in 
from  Wallace  last  evening,  and  he  was  ordered  to  take 
it  to  Ripley  at  once." 

Hamlin  drew  in  his  breath  quickly  in  surprise. 

"  Who  knew  about  that,  sir?  " 

249 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  No  one  but  the  Adjutant,  and  Major  McDonald 
—  not  even  the  orderly." 

The  eyes  of  officer  and  soldier  met. 

"  Do  you  suppose  he  could  have  told  her? "  the 
former  asked  in  sudden  suspicion. 

"  That  would  be  my  theory,  sir.  But  it  is  useless 
to  speculate.  We  have  no  proof,  no  means  of  forcing 
her  to  confess.  The  only  thing  for  us  to  do  is  to  trail 
those  fugitives.  I  need  another  man  —  a  scout  — 
Wasson,  if  he  can  be  spared  —  and  rations  for  three 
days." 

The  Colonel  hesitated  an  instant,  and  then  rose, 
placing  a  hand  on  Hamlin's  arm. 

"  I  '11  do  it  for  Miss  McDonald,  but  not  for  the 
money,"  he  said  slowly.  "  I  expect  orders  every  hour 
for  your  troop,  and  Wasson  is  detailed  for  special  serv 
ice.  But  damn  it,  I  '11  take  the  responsibility  —  go 
on,  and  run  those  devils  down." 

Hamlin  turned  to  the  door;  then  wheeled  about. 
'  You  know  this  man  Dupont,  Colonel?  " 

11  Only  by  sight." 

"  Any  idea  where  he  used  to  run  cattle?  " 

"  Wait  a  minute  until  I  think.  I  heard  McDonald 
telling  about  him  one  night  at  the  club,  something  Mrs. 
Dupont  had  let  slip,  but  I  did  n't  pay  much  attention 

250 


THE  DEAD  BODY 

at  the  time.  Seems  to  me,  though,  it  was  down  on  the 
Canadian.  No,  I  have  it  now  —  Buffalo  Creek;  runs 
into  the  Canadian.  Know  such  a  stream?" 

"  I  Ve  heard  of  it;  in  west  of  the  North  Fork  some 
where." 

"You  think  it  was  Dupont,  then?" 

"  I  have  n't  a  doubt  that  he  is  in  the  affair,  and  that 
the  outfit  is  headed  for  that  section.  I  don't  know, 
sir,  where  those  Indians  came  from,  or  how  they  hap 
pened  to  be  up  here,  but  I  believe  they  belong  to 
Black  Kettle's  band  of  Cheyennes.  His  bunch  is  down 
below  the  Canadian,  is  it  not,  sir?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Dupont  must  be  friendly  with  them,  and  this  coup 
has  been  planned  for  some  time.  Last  night  was  the 
chance  they  have  been  waiting  for.  The  only  mistake 
in  their  plans  has  been  the  early  discovery  because  of 
Miss  Molly's  disappearance.  They  have  gone  away 
careless,  expecting  two  or  three  days'  start,  and  they 
will  only  have  a  few  hours.  We  '11  run  them  down, 
with  good  luck,  before  they  cross  the  Cimarron.  You 
have  no  further  instructions,  sir?" 

"  No,  nothing,  Sergeant.  You  're  an  old  hand,  and 
know  your  business,  and  there  is  no  better  scout  on  the 
plains  than  Sam  Wasson.  Good-bye,  and  good  luck." 

251 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

IN    PURSUIT 

THE  four  men,  heavily  armed,  and  equipped  for 
winter  service,  rode  up  the  bank  of  the  ravine 
to  the  irregularity  of  plain  beyond.  The  trail,  lead 
ing  directly  south  into  the  solitudes,  was  easily  fol 
lowed,  and  Wasson,  slightly  in  advance  of  the  others, 
made  no  attempt  to  check  his  horse,  content  to  lean 
forward,  his  keen  eyes  marking  every  sign.  Scarcely 
a  word  was  exchanged,  since  Hamlin  had  explained 
what  had  occurred  as  they  crossed  the  river.  Hardly 
less  interested  than  the  Sergeant,  the  sober-faced  scout 
concentrated  every  energy  on  the  pursuit,  both  men 
realizing  the  necessity  of  haste.  Not  only  would  the 
trail  be  difficult  to  follow  after  they  attained  the  sand 
belt,  but,  if  snow  fell,  would  be  utterly  blotted  out. 
And  the  dull,  murky  sky  threatened  snow,  the  sharp 
wind  having  already  veered  to  the  northwest.  All 
about  stretched  a  dull,  dead  picture  of  desolation,  a 
dun-colored  plain,  unrelieved  by  vegetation,  matching 
the  skies  above,  extending  in  every  direction  through 

252 


IN  PURSUIT 

weary  leagues  of  dismal  loneliness.  The  searching 
eye  caught  no  relief  from  desolate  sameness,  drear 
monotony.  Nowhere  was  there  movement,  or  any 
semblance  of  life.  Behind,  the  land  was  broken  by 
ravines,  but  in  every  other  direction  it  stretched  level 
to  the  horizon,  except  that  far  off  southward  arose 
irregular  ridges  of  sand,  barren,  ugly  blotches,  color 
less,  and  forever  changing  formation  under  the  beat 
ing  of  a  ceaseless  wind.  It  was  desert,  across  which 
not  even  a  snake  crawled,  and  no  wing  of  migrating 
bird  beat  the  leaden  sky  above. 

The  marks  of  their  horses'  hoofs  cutting  sharply 
into  the  soil,  told  accurately  the  fugitives'  rate  of 
progress,  and  the  pursuers  swept  forward  with  caution, 
anxious  to  spare  their  mounts  and  to  keep  out  of  vision 
themselves  until  nightfall.  Their  success  depended 
largely  on  surprise,  and  the  confidence  of  those  ahead 
that  they  were  unpursued.  Wasson  expressed  the  sit 
uation  exactly,  as  the  four  halted  a  moment  at  an  un 
expectedly-discovered  water-hole. 

"  I  'd  think  this  yere  plain  trail  was  some  Injun  trick, 
boys,  if  I  did  n't  know  the  reason  fur  it.  'T  ain't  In 
jun  nature,  but  thar  's  a  white  man  ahead  o'  that  out 
fit,  an'  he  's  cock-sure  that  nobody  's  chasin'  him  yet. 
He  's  figurin'  on  two  or  three  days'  get-a-way,  and  so 

253 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

don't  care  a  tinker's  dam  'bout  these  yere  marks. 
Once  in  the  sand,  an'  thar  won't  be  no  trail  anyhow. 
It 's  some  kintry  out  thar,  an'  it  would  be  like  huntin' 
a  needle  in  a  haystack  to  try  an'  find  them  fellars  after 
ter-night.  This  is  my  idea  —  we  '11  just  mosey  along 
slow,  savin'  the  hosses  an'  keeping  back  out  o'  sight 
till  dark.  Them  fellars  ain't  many  hours  ahead,  an' 
are  likely  ter  make  camp  furst  part  o'  ther  night  any 
how.  They  '11  feel  safe  onct  hid  in  them  sand-hills, 
an'  if  they  don't  git  no  sight  of  us,  most  likely  they 
won't  even  post  no  guard.  Thet  's  when  we  want  ter 
dig  in  the  spurs.  Ain't  that  about  the  right  pro 
gram,  Sergeant?  " 

Burning  with  impatience  as  Hamlin  was,  fearful  that 
every  additional  moment  of  delay  might  increase  the 
girl's  danger,  he  was  yet  soldier  and  plainsman  enough 
to  realize  the  wisdom  of  the  old  scout.  There  were 
at  least  four  men  in  the  party  pursued,  two  of  them 
Indian  warriors,  the  two  whites,  desperate  characters. 
Without  doubt  they  would  put  up  a  fierce  fight,  or,  if 
warned  in  time,  could  easily  scatter  and  disappear. 

"  Of  course  you  are  right,  Sam,"  he  replied 
promptly.  "  Only  I  am  so  afraid  of  what  may  hap 
pen  to  Miss  Molly." 

"  Forget  it.  Thar 's  nuthin'  goin'  ter  happen  to 

254 


IN  PURSUIT 

her  while  the  bunch  is  on  the  move.  If  that  outfit  was 
all  Injun,  or  all  white,  maybe  thar  might.  But  the 
way  it  is  they  '11  never  agree  on  nuthin',  'cept  how  to 
git  away.  'T  ain't  likely  they  ever  meant  ter  kill  the 
Major,  'er  take  the  girl  erlong.  Them  things  just 
naturally  happened,  an'  now  they  're  scared  stiff.  It  '11 
take  a  day  er  two  for  'em  to  make  up  their  minds  what 
to  do." 

"  What  do  you  imagine  they  will  decide,  Sam?  " 

"  Wall,  thet  's  all  guesswork.  But  I  reckon  I  know 
what  I  'd  do  if  I  was  in  thet  sort  o'  fix  an'  bein'  chased 
fer  murder  an'  robbery.  I  'd  take  the  easy  way;  make 
fer  the  nearest  Injun  village,  an'  leave  the  girl  thar." 

"You  mean  Black  Kettle's  camp?" 

"  I  reckon;  he  's  down  thar  on  the  Canadian  some- 
whar.  You  kin  bet  those  fellars  know  whar,  an'  thet 's 
whut  they  're  aimin'  for,  unless  this  yere  Dupont  has 
some  hidin'  out  scheme  of  his  own.  Whar  did  you 
say  he  ranched?  " 

"  Buffalo  Creek." 

'  Thet 's  the  same  neighborhood;  must  Ve  been  in 
cahoots  with  those  red  devils  to  have  ever  run  cattle  in 
thar.  We  Ve  got  to  head  'em  off  afore  they  git  down 
into  that  kintry,  er  we  won't  have  no  scalps  to  go  back 
home  with.  Let 's  mosey  erlong,  boys." 

255 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

The  day  grew  dark  and  murky  as  they  moved  stead 
ily  forward,  the  wind  blew  cold  from  out  the  north 
west,  the  heavy  canopy  of  cloud  settled  lower  in  a 
frosty  fog,  which  gradually  obscured  the  landscape. 
This  mist  became  so  thick  that  the  men  could  scarcely 
see  a  hundred  yards  in  any  direction,  and  Hamlin  placed 
a  pocket  compass  on  his  saddle-pommel.  The  trail 
was  less  distinct  as  they  traversed  a  wide  streak  of 
alkali,  but  what  few  signs  remained  convinced  Wasson 
that  the  fugitives  were  still  together,  and  riding  south 
ward.  Under  concealment  of  the  fog  his  previous 
caution  relaxed,  and  he  led  the  way  at  a  steady  trot, 
only  occasionally  drawing  rein  to  make  certain  there 
was  no  division  of  the  party  ahead.  The  alkali  pow 
dered  them  from  head  to  foot,  clinging  to  the  horses' 
hides,  reddening  and  blinding  the  eyes,  poisoning  the 
lips  dry  and  parched  with  thirst.  The  two  troopers 
swore  grimly,  but  the  Sergeant  and  scout  rode  in  si 
lence,  bent  low  over  their  pommels,  eyes  strained  into 
the  mist  ahead.  It  was  not  yet  dark  when  they  rode 
in  between  the  first  sand-dunes,  and  Wasson,  pulling 
his  horse  up  short,  checked  the  others  with  uplifted 
hand. 

"  Thar  '11  be  a  camp  here  soon,"  he  said,  swinging 
down  from  the  saddle,  and  studying  the  ground. 

256 


IN  PURSUIT 

"  The  wind  has  'bout  blotted  it  all  out,  but  you  kin 
see  yere  back  o'  this  ridge  whar  they  turned  in,  an' 
they  was  walkin'  their  horses.  Gittin'  pretty  tired,  I 
reckon.  We  might  as  well  stop  yere  too,  Sergeant, 
an'  eat  some  cold  grub.  You  two  men  spread  her  out, 
an'  rub  down  the  bosses,  while  Hamlin  an'  I  poke 
about  a  bit.  Better  find  out  all  we  kin,  '  Brick,'  'fore 
it  gits  dark." 

He  started  forward  on  the  faint  trail,  his  rifle  in 
the  hollow  of  his  arm,  and  the  Sergeant  ranged  up  be 
side  him.  The  sand  was  to  their  ankles,  and  off  the 
ridge  summit  the  wind  whirled  the  sharp  grit  into  their 
faces. 

"What's  comin',  Sam;  a  storm?" 

"  Snow,"  answered  the  scout  shortly,  "  a  blizzard 
of  it,  er  I  lose  my  guess.  'Fore  midnight  yer  won't 
be  able  ter  see  yer  hand  afore  yer  face.  I  Ve  ben 
out  yere  in  them  things  afore,  an'  they  're  sure  hell. 
If  we  don't  git  sight  o'  thet  outfit  mighty  soon,  't  ain't 
likely  we  ever  will.  I  Ve  been  expectin'  that  wind  to 
shift  nor'east  all  day  —  then  we  '11  get  it."  He  got 
down  on  his  knees,  endeavoring  to  decipher  some  faint 
marks  on  the  sand.  "  Two  of  'em  dismounted  yere, 
an  Injun  an'  a  white  —  a  big  feller  by  his  hoof  prints 
—  an'  they  went  on  leadin'  their  bosses.  Coin'  into 

"  257 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

camp,  I  reckon  —  sure,  here  's  the  spot  now.  Well, 
I'll  be  damned!" 

Both  men  stood  staring  —  under  protection  of  a 
sand  ridge  was  a  little  blackened  space  where  some 
mesquite  chips  had  been  burned,  and  all  about  it  freshly 
trampled  sand,  and  slight  impressions  where  men  had 
outstretched  themselves.  Almost  at  Wasson's  feet 
fluttered  a  pink  ribbon,  and  beyond  the  fire  circle  lay 
the  body  of  a  man,  face  up  to  the  sky.  It  was  Con 
nors,  a  ghastly  bullet  hole  between  his  eyes,  one  cheek 
caked  black  with  blood.  The  Sergeant  sprang  across, 
and  bent  over  the  motionless  form. 

"  Pockets  turned  inside  out,"  he  said,  glancing  back. 
"The  poor  devil!" 

"  Had  quite  a  row  here,"  returned  the  scout. 
"  That  stain  over  thar  is  blood,  an'  it  never  come  from 
him,  fer  he  died  whar  he  fell.  Most  likely  he  shot 
furst,  er  used  a  knife.  The  girl's  with  'em  anyhow; 
I  reckon  this  yere  was  her  ribbon;  that  footprint  is 
sure." 

He  stirred  up  the  scattered  ashes,  and  then  passed 
over  and  looked  at  the  dead  man. 

"What  do  yer  think,  Sergeant?" 

"  They  stopped  here  to  eat,  maybe  five  hours  ago," 
pushing  the  ashes  about  with  his  toe.  '  The  fire  has 

258 


IN  PURSUIT 

been  out  that  long.  Then  they  got  into  a  quarrel  — 
Connors  and  Dupont  —  for  he  was  shot  with  a  Colt 
'45  ' ;  no  Indian  ever  did  that.  Then  they  struck  out 
again  with  two  led  horses.  I  should  say  they  were 
three  or  four  hours  ahead,  travelling  slow." 

"  Good  enough,"  and  Wasson  patted  his  arm. 
"  You  're  a  plainsman  all  right,  '  Brick.'  You  kin  sure 
read  signs.  Thet  's  just  'bout  the  whole  story,  as  I 
make  it.  Nuthin'  fer  us  to  do  but  snatch  a  bite  an' 
go  on.  Our  hosses  're  fresher  'n  theirs.  No  sense 
our  stoppin'  to  bury  Connors ;  he  ain't  worth  it,  an'  the 
birds  '11  take  care  o'  him.  The  outfit  was  still  a 
headin'  south  —  see !  " 

There  could  be  no  doubt  of  this,  as  the  shelter  of 
the  sand  ridge  had  preserved  a  plain  trail,  although 
a  few  yards  beyond,  the  sweeping  wind  had  already 
almost  obliterated  every  sign  of  passage.  The  four 
men  ate  heartily  of  their  cold  provender,  discussing  the 
situation  in  a  few  brief  sentences.  Wasson  argued 
that  Dupont  was  heading  for  some  Indian  winter  en 
campment,  thinking  to  shift  responsibility  for  the 
crime  upon  the  savages,  thus  permitting  him  to  return 
once  more  to  civilization,  but  Hamlin  clung  to  his  orig 
inal  theory  of  a  hide-out  upon  Dupont's  old  cattle- 
range,  and  that  a  purpose  other  than  the  mere  robbery 

259 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

of  McDonald  was  in  view.  All  alike,  however,  were 
convinced  that  the  fugitives  were  seeking  the  wild 
bluffs  of  the  Canadian  River  for  concealment. 

It  was  not  yet  dark  when  they  again  picked  up  the 
trail,  rode  around  the  dead  body  of  Connors,  and 
pushed  forward  into  the  maze  of  sand.  For  an  hour 
the  advance  was  without  incident,  the  scout  in  the  lead 
not  even  dismounting,  his  keen  eyes  picking  up  the 
faint  "  sign  "  unerringly.  Then  darkness  shut  down, 
the  lowering  bank  of  clouds  completely  blotting  the 
stars,  although  the  white  glisten  of  the  sand  under  foot 
yielded  a  slight  guidance.  Up  to  this  time  there  had 
been  no  deviation  in  direction,  and  now  when  the  trail 
could  be  no  longer  distinguished,  the  little  party  de 
cided  on  riding  straight  southward  until  they  struck 
the  Cimarron.  An  hour  or  two  later  the  moon  arose, 
hardly  visible  and  yet  brightening  the  cloud  canopy, 
so  that  the  riders  could  see  each  other  and  proceed 
more  rapidly.  Suddenly  Wasson  lifted  his  hand,  and 
turned  his  face  up  to  the  sky. 

"  Snow,"  he  announced  soberly.  "  Thought  I  felt 
it  afore,  and  the  wind  's  changed." 

Hamlin  turned  in  the  saddle,  feeling  already  the 
sharp  sting  of  snow  pellets  on  his  face.  Before  he 
could  even  answer  the  air  was  full  of  whiteness,  a 

260 


IN  PURSUIT 

fierce  gust  of  wind  hurling  the  flying  particles  against 
them.  In  another  instant  they  were  in  the  very  heart 
of  the  storm,  almost  hurled  forward  by  the  force  of 
the  wind,  and  blinded  by  the  icy  deluge.  The  pelting 
of  the  hail  startled  the  horses,  and  in  spite  of  every 
effort  of  the  riders,  they  drifted  to  the  right,  tails  to 
the  storm.  The  swift  change  was  magical.  The 
sharp  particles  of  icy  snow  seemed  to  swirl  upon  them 
from  every  direction,  sucking  their  very  breath,  be 
wildering  them,  robbing  them  of  all  sense  of  direction. 
Within  two  minutes  the  men  found  it  impossible  to 
penetrate  the  wintry  shroud  except  for  a  few  feet  ahead 
of  them. 

The  Sergeant  knew  what  it  meant,  for  he  had  had 
experience  of  these  plains  storms  before. 

"Halt!"  he  cried,  his  voice  barely  audible  in  the 
blast.  "Close  up,  men;  come  here  to  me  —  lively 
now?  That  you,  Wade?  Wasson;  oh,  all  right, 
Sam.  Here,  pass  that  lariat  back;  now  get  a  grip  on 
it,  every  one  of  you,  and  hold  to  it  for  your  lives.  Let 
me  take  the  lead,  Sam ;  we  '11  have  to  run  by  compass. 
Now  then,  are  you  ready?" 

The  lariat  rope,  tied  to  Hamlin's  pommel,  straight 
ened  out  and  was  grasped  desperately  by  the  gloved 
hands  of  the  men  behind.  The  Sergeant,  shading  his 

261 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

eyes,  half  smothered  in  the  blast,  could  see  merely  ill- 
defined  shadows. 

"All  caught?" 

The  answers  were  inaudible. 

"For  the  Lord's  sake,  speak  up;  answer  now  — 
Wasson." 

"  Here." 

"  Wade." 

"  Here." 

"  Carroll." 

"  Here." 

"Good;  now  come  on  after  me." 

He  drove  his  horse  forward,  head  bent  low  over  the 
compass,  one  arm  flung  up  across  his  mouth  to  prevent 
inhaling  the  icy  air.  He  felt  the  tug  of  the  line;  heard 
the  labored  breathing  of  the  next  horse  behind,  but 
saw  nothing  except  that  wall  of  swirling  snow  pellets 
hurled  against  him  by  a  pitiless  wind,  fairly  lacerating 
the  flesh.  It  was  freezing  cold ;  already  he  felt  numb, 
exhausted,  heavy-eyed.  The  air  seemed  to  penetrate 
his  clothing,  and  prick  the  skin  as  with  a  thousand 
needles.  The  thought  came  that  if  he  remained  in 
the  saddle  he  would  freeze  stiff.  Again  he  turned, 
and  sent  the  voice  of  command  down  the  struggling 
line: 

262 


IN  PURSUIT 

"Dismount;  wind  the  rope  around  your  pommels. 
Sam.  How  far  is  it  to  the  Cimarron?" 

"  More  'n  twenty  miles." 

"  All  right!  We  Ve  got  to  make  it,  boys,"  forcing 
a  note  of  cheerfulness  into  his  voice.  "  Hang  on  to 
the  bit  even  if  you  drop.  I  may  drift  to  the  west,  but 
that  won't  lose  us  much.  Come  on,  now." 

"  Hamlin,  let  me  break  trail." 

"  We  '11  take  it  turn  about,  Sam.  It  '11  be  worse  in 
an  hour  than  it  is  now.  All  ready,  boys." 

Blinded  by  the  sleet,  staggering  to  the  fierce  pum 
melling  of  the  wind,  yet  clinging  desperately  to  his 
horse's  bit,  the  Sergeant  struggled  forward  in  the 
swirl  of  the  storm. 


263 


CHAPTER  XXV 

IN   THE    BLIZZARD 

THERE  was  no  cessation,  no  abatement.  Across 
a  thousand  miles  of  plain  the  ice-laden  wind 
swept  down  upon  them  with  the  relentless  fury  of  a 
hurricane,  driving  the  snow  crystals  into  their  faces, 
buffeting  them  mercilessly,  numbing  their  bodies,  and 
blinding  their  eyes.  In  that  awful  grip  they  looked 
upon  Death,  but  struggled  on,  as  real  men  must  until 
they  fall.  Breathing  was  agony;  every  step  became 
a  torture;  fingers  grasping  the  horses'  bits  grew  stiff 
and  deadened  by  frost;  they  reeled  like  drunken  men, 
sightless  in  the  mad  swirl,  deafened  by  the  pounding 
of  the  blast  against  their  ears.  All  consciousness  left 
them;  only  dumb  instinct  kept  them  battling  for  life, 
staggering  forward,  foot  by  foot,  odd  phantasies  of 
imagination  beginning  to  beckon.  In  their  weakness, 
delirium  gripped  their  half-mad  brains,  yielding  new 
strength  to  fight  the  snow  fiend.  Aching  in  every 
joint,  trembling  from  fatigue,  they  dare  not  rest  an 
instant.  The  wind,  veering  more  to  the  east,  lashed 

264 


IN  THE  BLIZZARD 

their  faces  like  a  whip.  They  crouched  behind  the 
horses  to  keep  out  of  the  sting  of  it,  crunching  the 
snow,  now  in  deep  drifts,  under  their  half-frozen  feet. 

Wade,  a  young  fellow  not  overly  strong,  fell  twice. 
They  placed  him  in  the  centre,  with  Carroll  bringing 
up  the  rear.  Again  he  went  down,  face  buried  in  the 
snow,  crying  like  a  babe.  Desperately  the  others 
lashed  him  into  his  saddle,  binding  a  blanket  about 
him,  and  went  grimly  staggering  on,  his  limp  figure 
rocking  above  them.  Hour  succeeded  hour  in  cease 
less  struggle;  no  one  knew  where  they  were,  only  the 
leader  staggered  on,  his  eyes  upon  the  compass.  Was- 
son  and  Hamlin  took  their  turns  tramping  a  trail,  the 
snow  often  to  their  knees.  They  had  stopped  speak 
ing,  stopped  thinking  even.  All  their  movements  be 
came  automatic,  instinctive,  the  result  of  iron  disci 
pline.  They  realized  the  only  hope — attainment  of 
the  Cimarron  bluffs.  There  was  no  shelter  there  in 
the  open,  to  either  man  or  horse;  the  sole  choice  left 
was  to  struggle  on,  or  lie  down  and  die.  The  last  was 
likely  to  be  the  end  of  it,  but  while  a  drop  of  blood 
ran  red  and  warm  in  their  veins  they  would  keep  their 
feet  and  fight. 

Carroll's  horse  stumbled  and  rolled,  catching  the 
numbed  trooper  under  his  weight.  The  jerk  on  the 

265 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

lariat  flung  Wade  out  of  the  saddle,  dangling  head 
downward.  With  stiffened  fingers,  scarcely  compre 
hending  what  they  were  about,  the  Sergeant  and  Was- 
son  came  to  the  rescue,  helped  the  frightened  horse 
struggle  to  its  feet,  and,  totally  blinded  by  the  fury 
of  the  storm  which  now  beat  fairly  in  their  eyes, 
grasped  the  dangling  body,  swaying  back  and  forth  as 
the  startled  animal  plunged  in  terror.  It  was  a  corpse 
they  gripped,  already  stiff  with  cold,  the  eyes  wide- 
open  and  staring.  Carroll,  bruised  and  limping,  came 
to  their  help,  groaning  with  pain,  and  the  three  men 
together  managed  to  lift  the  dead  weight  to  the  horse's 
back,  and  to  bind  it  safely  with  the  turn  of  a  rope. 
Then,  breathless  from  exhaustion,  crouching  behind 
the  animals,  bunched  helplessly  together,  the  howl  of 
the  wind  like  the  scream  of  lost  souls,  the  three  men 
looked  into  each  other's  faces. 

"  I  reckon  Jim  died  without  ever  knowin'  it,"  said 
the  scout,  breaking  again  the  film  of  ice  over  his  eyes, 
and  thrashing  his  arms.  "  I  allers  heard  tell  it  was 
an  easy  way  o'  goin'.  Looks  to  me  he  was  better  off 
than  we  are  just  now.  Hurt  much,  Carroll  ?  " 

"  Crunched  my  leg  mighty  bad;  can't  bear  no  weight 
on  it.  'T  was  darn  near  froze  stiff  before ;  thet  's  why 
I  could  n't  get  out  o'  the  way  quick." 

266 


IN  THE  BLIZZARD 

"  Sure ;  well,  ye  '11  have  ter  ride,  then.  We  '11  take 
the  blanket  off  Jim;  he  won't  need  it  no  more. 
'  Brick  '  an'  I  kin  hoof  it  yet  awhile  —  hey,  '  Brick  '  ?  " 

Hamlin  lifted  his  head  from  the  shelter  of  his  horse's 


mane. 

(C 


I  reckon  I  can  make  my  feet  move,"  he  asserted 
doubtfully,  "  but  they  don't  feel  as  though  there  was 
any  life  left  in  them."  He  stamped  on  the  snow. 
"How  long  do  these  blizzards  generally  last,  Sam?" 

"  Blow  themselves  out  in  about  three  days." 

"Three  days?  God!  We  can  never  live  it  out 
here." 

His  eyes  ranged  over  the  dim  outline  of  Wade 
stretched  across  the  saddle,  powdered  with  snow, 
rested  an  instant  upon  Carroll  who  had  sunk  back 
upon  the  ground,  nursing  his  injured  limb,  and  then 
sought  the  face  of  Wasson. 

"  What  the  hell  can  we  do?  " 

"Go  on;  thet 's  all  of  it;  go  on  till  we  drop,  lad. 
Come,  '  Brick,'  my  boy,"  and  the  scout  gripped  the 
Sergeant's  shoulder,  "  you  're  not  the  kind  to  lie  down. 
We  Ve  been  in  worse  boxes  than  this  and  pulled  out. 
It 's  up  to  you  and  me  to  make  good.  Let 's  crunch 
some  hard-tack  and  go  on,  afore  the  whole  three  of 
us  freeze  stiff." 

267 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

The  Sergeant  thrust  out  his  hand. 

"  That  is  n't  what 's  taken  the  nerve  out  of  me, 
Sam,"  he  said  soberly.  "  It 's  thinking  of  the  girl  out 
in  all  this  with  those  devils." 

"  Likely  as  not  she  ain't,"  returned  the  other,  tramp 
ing  the  snow  under  his  feet.  "  I  Ve  been  thinkin' 
'bout  thet  too.  Thet  outfit  must  hev  had  six  hours 
the  start  o'  us,  didn't  they?  " 

Hamlin  nodded. 

"  Well,  then,  they  could  n't  a  ben  far  from  the 
Cimarron  when  the  storm  come.  They  'd  be  safe 
enough  under  the  bluffs;  have  wood  fer  a  fire,  and 
lay  thar  mighty  comfortable.  That 's  whar  them 
bucks  are,  all  right.  Why,  damn  it,  man,  we  Ve  got 
to  get  through.  'T  ain't  just  our  fool  lives  that 's  at 
stake.  Brace  up  !  " 

"  How  far  have  we  come?  " 

"  A  good  ten  miles,  an'  the  compass  has  kep'  us 
straight." 

They  drew  in  closer  together,  and  munched  a  hard 
cracker  apiece,  occasionally  exchanging  a  muttered 
word  or  two,  thrashing  their  limbs  about  to  keep  up 
circulation,  and  dampening  their  lips  with  snow.  They 
were  but  dim,  spectral  shapes  in  the  darkness,  the  air 
filled  with  crystal  pellets,  swept  about  by  a  merciless 

268 


IN  THE  BLIZZARD 

wind,  the  horses  standing  tails  to  the  storm  and  heads 
drooping.  In  spite  of  the  light  refraction  of  the  snow 
the  eyes  could  scarcely  see  two  yards  away  through 
the  smother.  Above,  about,  the  ceaseless  wind 
howled,  its  icy  breath  chilling  to  the  bone.  Carroll 
clambered  stiffly  into  his  saddle,  crying  and  swearing 
from  weakness  and  pain.  The  others,  stumbling 
about  in  the  deep  snow,  which  had  drifted  around 
them  during  the  brief  halt,  stripped  the  blanket  from 
Wade's  dead  body,  and  tucked  it  in  about  Carroll  as 
best  they  could. 

"  Now  keep  kicking  and  thrashing  around,  George," 
ordered  the  Sergeant  sternly.  "  For  God's  sake, 
don't  go  to  sleep,  or  you  '11  be  where  Jim  is.  We  '11 
haul  you  out  of  this,  old  man.  Sam,  you  take  the 
rear,  and  hit  Carroll  a  whack  every  few  minutes;  I'll 
break  trail.  Forward!  now." 

They  plunged  into  it,  ploughing  a  way  through  the 
drifts,  the  reluctant  horses  dragging  back  at  first,  and 
drifting  before  the  fierce  sweep  of  the  wind,  in  spite  of 
every  effort  at  guidance.  It  was  an  awful  journey, 
every  step  torture,  but  Hamlin  bent  to  it,  clinging 
grimly  to  the  bit  of  his  animal,  his  other  arm  protect 
ing  his  eyes  from  the  sting  of  the  wind.  Behind, 
Wasson  wielded  a  quirt,  careless  whether  its  lash 

269 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

struck  the  horse's  flank  or  Carroll.  And  across  a  thou 
sand  miles  of  snow-covered  plain,  the  storm  howled 
down  upon  them  in  redoubled  fury,  blinding  their 
eyes,  making  them  stagger  helplessly  before  its 
blasts. 

They  were  still  moving,  now  like  snails,  when  the 
pale  sickly  dawn  came,  revealing  inch  by  inch  the  dread 
desolation,  stretching  white  and  ghastly  in  a  slowly 
widening  circle.  The  exhausted,  struggling  men,  more 
nearly  dead  than  alive  from  their  ceaseless  toil,  had  to 
break  the  film  of  ice  from  their  eyes  to  perceive  their 
surroundings.  Even  then  they  saw  nothing  but  the 
bare,  snow-draped  plain,  the  air  full  of  swirling  flakes. 
There  was  nothing  to  guide  them,  no  mark  of  identifi 
cation;  merely  lorn  barrenness  in  the  midst  of  which 
they  wandered,  dragging  their  half-frozen  horses. 
The  dead  body  of  Wade  had  stiffened  into  grotesque 
shape,  head  and  feet  dangling,  shrouded  in  clinging 
snow.  Carroll  had  fallen  forward  across  his  saddle 
pommel,  too  weak  to  sit  erect,  but  held  by  the  taut 
blanket,  and  gripping  his  horse's  ice-covered  mane. 
Wasson  was  ahead  now,  doggedly  crunching  a  path 
with  his  feet,  and  Hamlin  staggered  along  behind. 

Suddenly  some  awakened  instinct  in  the  numbed 
brain  of  the  scout  told  him  of  a  change  in  their  sur- 

270 


IN  THE  BLIZZARD 

roundings.  He  felt  rather  than  saw  the  difference. 
They  had  crossed  the  sand  belt,  and  the  contour  of 
the  prairie  was  rising.  Then  the  Cimarron  was  near ! 
Even  as  the  conviction  took  shape,  the  ghostly  outline 
of  a  small  elevation  loomed  through  the  murk.  He 
stared  at  it  scarce  believing,  imagining  a  delusion,  and 
then  sent  his  cracked  voice  back  in  a  shout  on  the  wind. 

"  We  're  thar,  '  Brick  '!  My  God,  lad,  here  's  the 
Cimarron!  " 

He  wheeled  about,  shading  his  mouth,  so  as  to  make 
the  words  carry  through  the  storm. 

"  Do  you  hear?  We  're  within  a  half  mile  o'  the 
river.  Stir  Carroll  up!  Beat  the  life  inter  him! 
There  's  shelter  and  fire  comin' !  " 

As  though  startled  by  some  electric  shock,  Hamlin 
sprang  forward,  his  limbs  strengthening  in  response  to 
fresh  hope,  ploughed  through  the  snow  to  Carroll's 
side,  and  shook  and  slapped  the  fellow  into  semi-con 
sciousness. 

"  We  're  at  the  river,  George!  "  he  cried,  jerking  up 
the  dangling  head.  "Wake  up,  man!  Wake  up! 
Do  you  hear?  We  '11  have  a  fire  in  ten  minutes!  " 

The  man  made  a  desperate  effort,  bracing  his  hands 
on  the  horse's  neck  and  staring  at  his  tormentor  with 
dull,  unseeing  eyes. 

271 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"Oh,  go  to  hell!"  he  muttered,  and  went  down 
again. 

Hamlin  struck  him  twice,  his  chilled  hand  tingling  to 
the  blow,  but  the  inert  figure  never  moved. 

"  No  use,  Sam.  We  Ve  got  to  get  on,  and  thaw 
him  out.  Get  up  there,  you  pony!  " 

The  ghostly  shape  of  the  hill  was  to  their  right,  and 
they  circled  its  base  almost  waist-deep  in  drift.  This 
brought  the  wind  directly  into  their  faces,  and  the 
horses  balked,  dragging  back  and  compelling  both 
men  to  beat  them  into  submission.  Wasson  was  jerk 
ing  at  the  bit,  his  back  turned  so  that  he  could  see 
nothing  ahead,  but  Hamlin,  lashing  the  rear  animal 
with  his  quirt,  still  faced  the  mound,  a  mere  dim 
shadow  through  the  mists  of  snow.  He  saw  the  flash 
of  yellow  flame  that  leaped  from  its  summit,  heard  the 
sharp  report  of  a  gun,  and  saw  Wasson  crumble  up, 
and  go  down,  still  clinging  to  his  horse's  rein.  It  came 
so  suddenly,  so  unexpectedly,  that  the  single  living 
man  left  scarcely  realized  what  had  happened.  Yet 
dazed  as  he  was,  some  swift  impulse  flung  him,  head 
long,  into  the  snow  behind  his  pony,  and  even  as  he 
fell,  his  numbed  fingers  gripped  for  the  revolver  at  his 
hip.  The  hidden  marksman  shot  twice,  evidently  dis 
cerning  only  dim  outlines  at  which  to  aim;  the  red 

272 


IN  THE  BLIZZARD 

flame  of  discharge  cut  the  gloom  like  a  knife.  One 
ball  hurtled  past  Hamlin's  head;  the  other  found  billet 
in  Wade's  horse,  and  the  stricken  creature  toppled 
over,  bearing  its  dead  burden  with  him.  The  Sergeant 
ripped  off  his  glove,  found  the  trigger  with  his  half- 
frozen  fingers,  and  fired  twice.  Then,  with  an  oath, 
he  leaped  madly  to  his  feet,  and  dashed  straight  at  the 
silent  hill. 


18 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

UNSEEN   DANGER 

ONCE  he  paused,  blinded  by  the  snow,  flung  up  his 
arm,  and  fired,  imagining  he  saw  the  dim  shape 
of  a  man  on  the  ridge  summit.  There  was  no  return 
shot,  no  visible  movement.  Reckless,  mad  with  rage, 
he  sprang  up  the  wind-swept  side,  and  reached  the 
crest.  It  was  deserted,  except  for  tracks  already  nearly 
obliterated  by  the  fierce  wind.  Helpless,  baffled,  the 
Sergeant  stared  about  him  into  the  driving  flakes,  his 
ungloved,  stiffening  hand  gripping  the  cold  butt  of 
his  Colt,  ready  for  any  emergency.  Nothing  but 
vacancy  and  silence  encompassed  him.  At  his  feet  the 
snow  was  still  trampled;  he  could  see  where  the  man 
had  kneeled  to  fire;  where  he  had  run  down  the  oppo 
site  side  of  the  hill.  There  had  been  only  one  —  a 
white  man  from  the  imprint  —  and  he  had  fled  south, 
vanishing  in  the  smother. 

It  required  an  effort  for  the  Sergeant  to  recover, 
to  realize  his  true  position,  and  the  meaning  of  this 
mysterious  attack.  He  was  no  longer  numb  with  cold 

274 


UNSEEN  DANGER 

or  staggering  from  weakness.  The  excitement  had 
sent  the  hot  blood  pulsing  through  his  veins;  had 
brought  back  to  his  heart  the  fighting  instinct.  Every 
desire  urged  him  forward,  clamoring  for  revenge,  but 
the  aroused  sense  of  a  plainsman  held  him  motionless, 
staring  about,  listening  for  any  sound.  Behind  him, 
down  there  in  the  hollow,  were  huddled  the  horses 
of  his  outfit,  scarcely  distinguishable  from  where  he 
stood.  If  he  should  venture  farther  off,  he  might 
never  be  able  to  find  a  way  back  again.  Even  in  the 
gray  light  of  dawn  he  could  see  nothing  distinctly  a 
dozen  yards  distant.  And  Wasson  had  the  compass. 
This  was  the  thought  which  brought  him  tramping 
back  through  the  drifts  —  Wasson !  Wade  was  dead, 
Carroll  little  better,  but  the  scout  might  have  been 
only  slightly  wounded.  He  waded  through  the  snow 
to  where  the  man  lay,  face  downward,  his  hand  still 
gripping  the  rein.  Before  Hamlin  turned  him  over, 
he  saw  the  jagged  wound  and  knew  death  had  been 
instantaneous.  He  stared  down  at  the  white  face,  al 
ready  powdered  with  snow;  then  glared  about  into 
the  murky  distances,  revolver  ready  for  action,  every 
nerve  throbbing.  God!  If  he  ever  met  the  mur 
derer!  Then  swift  reaction  came,  and  he  buried  his 
eyes  on  the  neck  of  the  nearest  horse,  and  his  body 

275 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

shook  with  half-suppressed  sobs.  The  whole  horror 
of  it  gripped  him  in  that  instant,  broke  his  iron  will, 
and  left  him  weak  as  a  child. 

But  the  mood  did  not  last.  Little  by  little  he  gained 
control,  stood  up  again  in  the  snow,  and  began  to 
think.  He  was  a  man,  and  must  do  a  man's  work. 
With  an  oath  he  forced  himself  to  act;  reloaded  his 
revolver,  thrust  it  back  into  the  holster  at  his  hip,  and, 
with  one  parting  glance  at  poor  Sam,  ploughed  across 
through  the  drifts  to  Carroll.  He  realized  now  his 
duty,  the  thing  he  must  strive  to  accomplish.  Wade 
and  Wasson  were  gone;  no  human  effort  could  aid 
them,  but  Carroll  lived,  and  might  be  saved.  And  it 
was  for  him  alone  now  to  serve  Molly.  The  sudden 
comprehension  of  all  this  stung  like  the  lash  of  a  whip, 
transformed  him  again  into  a  fighter,  a  soldier  of  the 
sort  who  refuses  to  acknowledge  defeat.  His  eyes 
darkened,  his  lips  pressed  together  in  a  straight  line. 

Carroll  lay  helpless,  inert,  his  head  hanging  down 
against  the  neck  of  his  horse.  The  Sergeant  jerked 
him  erect,  roughly  beating  him  into  consciousness;  nor 
did  he  desist  until  the  fellow's  eyes  opened  in  a  dull 
stare. 

"  I  '11  pound  the  life  out  of  you  unless  you  brace 
up,  George,"  he  muttered.  '  That 's  right  —  get 

276 


UNSEEN  DANGER 

mad  if  you  want  to.  It  will  do  you  good.  Wait  un 
til  I  get  that  quirt;  that  will  set  your  blood  moving. 
No!  Wake  up  I  Die,  nothing!  See  here,  man, 
there  's  the  river  just  ahead." 

He  picked  up  his  glove,  undid  the  reins  from  Was- 
son's  stiffened  fingers,  and  urged  the  horses  forward. 
Carroll  lurched  drunkenly  in  the  saddle,  yet  retained 
sufficient  life  to  cling  to  the  pommel,  and  thus  the  out 
fit  plunged  blindly  forward  into  the  storm,  leaving  the 
dead  men  where  they  lay.  There  was  nothing  else 
to  do;  Hamlin's  heart  choked  him  as  he  ploughed  his 
way  past,  but  he  had  no  strength  to  lift  those  heavy 
bodies.  Every  ounce  of  power  must  be  conserved  for 
the  preservation  of  life.  Little  as  he  could  see  through 
the  snow  blasts  there  was  but  one  means  of  passage, 
that  along  the  narrow  rift  between  the  ridges.  The 
snow  lay  deep  here,  but  they  floundered  ahead,  barely 
able  to  surmount  the  drifts,  until  suddenly  they  emerged 
upon  an  open  space,  sheltered  somewhat  by  the  low 
hills  and  swept  clean  by  the  wind.  Directly  beneath, 
down  a  wide  cleft  in  the  bank,  dimly  visible,  appeared 
the  welcome  waters  of  the  Cimarron.  The  stream 
was  but  partly  frozen  over,  the  dark  current  flowing  in 
odd  contrast  between  the  banks  of  ice  and  snow. 

The  Sergeant  halted,  examining  his  surroundings 

277 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

cautiously,  expecting  every  instant  to  be  fired  upon  by 
some  unseen  foe.  The  violence  of  the  storm  prevented 
his  seeing  beyond  a  few  yards,  and  the  whirling  snow 
crystals  blinded  him  as  he  faced  the  fury  of  the  wind 
sweeping  down  the  valley.  Nothing  met  his  gaze;  no 
sound  reached  his  ears;  about  him  was  desolation,  un 
broken  whiteness.  Apparently  they  were  alone  in  all 
that  intense  dreariness  of  snow.  The  solemn  loneli 
ness  of  it  —  the  dark,  silently  flowing  river,  the  dun 
sky,  the  wide,  white  expanse  of  plain,  the  mad  violence 
of  the  storm  beating  against  him  —  brought  to  him 
a  feeling  of  helplessness.  He  was  a  mere  atom,  strug 
gling  alone  against  Nature's  wild  mood.  Then  the 
feeling  clutched  him  that  he  was  not  alone;  that  from 
somewhere  amid  those  barren  wastes  hostile  eyes 
watched,  skulking  murderers  sought  his  life.  Yet 
there  was  no  sign  of  any  presence.  He  could  not 
stand  there  and  die,  nor  permit  Carroll  to  freeze  in 
his  saddle.  It  would  be  better  to  take  a  chance;  per 
haps  the  assassins  had  fled,  believing  their  work  ac 
complished;  perhaps  they  had  become  confused  by  the 
storm. 

Foot  by  foot,  feeling  his  passage,  he  advanced  down 
the  gully,  fairly  dragging  his  own  horse  after  him. 
Behind,  held  by  the  straining  lariat,  lurched  the  others, 

278 


UNSEEN  DANGER 

s 

the.  soldier  swaying  on  the  back  of  the  last,  swearing 
and  laughing  in  delirium,  clutching  at  snowflakes  with 
his  hands.  At  the  end  of  the  ravine,  under  shelter  of 
the  bank,  Hamlin  trampled  back  the  snow,  herding 
the  animals  close,  so  as  to  gain  the  warmth  of  their 
bodies.  Here  they  were  well  protected  from  the 
cruel  lash  of  the  wind  and  the  shower  of  snow  which 
blew  over  them  and  drifted  higher  and  higher  in  the 
open  space  beyond.  Working  feverishly,  the  blood 
again  circulating  freely  through  his  veins,  the  Ser 
geant  hastily  dragged  blankets  from  the  pack,  and 
spread  them  on  the  ground,  depositing  Carroll  upon 
them.  Then  he  set  about  vigorously  rubbing  the 
soldier's  exposed  flesh  with  snow.  The  smart  of-  it, 
together  with  the  roughness  of  handling,  aroused  the 
latter  from  lethargy,  but  Hamlin,  ignoring  his  resent 
ment,  gripped  the  fellow  with  hands  of  iron,  never 
ceasing  his  violent  ministrations  until  his  swearing 
ended  In  silence.  Then  he  wrapped  him  tightly  in 
the  blankets,  and  stood  himself  erect,  glowing  from 
the  exercise.  Carroll  glared  up  at  him  angrily  out 
of  red-rimmed  eyes. 

"  I  '11  get  you  for  that,  you  big  boob !  "  he  shouted, 
striving  to  release  his  arms  from  the  clinging  blankets. 
"You  wait!  I'll  get  you!" 

279 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  Hush  up,  George,  and  go  to  sleep,"  the  other 
retorted,  poking  the  shapeless  body  with  his  foot,  his 
thoughts  already  elsewhere.  "  Don't  be  a  fool.  I  '11 
get  a  fire  if  I  can,  and  something  hot  into  you. 
Within  an  hour  you  '11  be  a  man  again.  Now  see  here 
—  stop  that!  Do  you  hear?  You  lie  still  right 
where  you  are,  Carroll,  until  I  come  back,  or  I  '11  kick 
your  ribs  in!"  He  bent  down  menacingly,  scowling 
into  the  upturned  face.  ;t  Will  you  mind,  or  shall  I 
have  to  hand  you  one?  " 

Carroll  shrank  back  like  a  whipped  child,  his  lips 
muttering  something  indistinguishable.  The  Sergeant, 
satisfied,  turned  and  floundered  through  the  drifts  to 
the  bank  of  the  stream.  He  was  alert  and  fearful, 
yet  determined.  No  matter  what  danger  of  discovery 
might  threaten,  he  must  build  a  fire  to  save  Carroll's 
life.  The  raging  storm  was  not  over  with;  there  was 
no  apparent  cessation  of  violence  in  the  blasts  of  the 
icy  wind,  and  the  snow  swept  about  him  in  blinding 
sheets.  It  would  continue  all  day,  all  another  night, 
perhaps,  and  they  could  never  live  through  without 
food  and  warmth.  He  realized  the  risk  fully,  his 
gloved  hand  gripping  the  butt  of  his  revolver,  as  he 
stared  up  and  down  the  snow-draped  bluffs.  He 
wished  he  had  picked  up  Wasson's  rifle.  Who  was  it 

280 


UNSEEN  DANGER 

that  had  shot  them  up,  anyhow?  The  very  mystery 
added  to  the  dread.  Could  it  have  been  Dupont? 
There  was  no  other  conception  possible,  yet  it  seemed 
like  a  miracle  that  they  could  have  kept  so  close  on 
the  fellow's  trail  all  night  long  through  the  storm. 
Yet  who  else  would  open  fire  at  sight?  Who  else, 
indeed,  would  be  in  this  God- forsaken  country?  And 
whoever  it  was,  where  had  he  gone?  How  had  he 
disappeared  so  suddenly  and  completely?  He  could 
not  be  far  away,  that  was  a  certainty.  No  plainsman 
would  attempt  to  ford  that  icy  stream,  nor  desert  the 
shelter  of  these  bluffs  in  face  of  the  storm.  It  would 
be  suicidal.  And  if  Dupont  and  his  Indians  were  close 
at  hand,  Miss  McDonald  would  be  with  them.  He 
had  had  no  time  in  which  to  reason  this  out  before, 
but  now  the  swift  realization  of  the  close  proximity 
of  the  girl  came  to  him  like  an  electric  shock.  What 
ever  the  immediate  danger  he  must  thaw  out  Carroll, 
and  thus  be  free  himself. 

He  could  look  back  to  where  the  weary  horses 
huddled  beneath  the  bank,  grouped  about  the  man  so 
helplessly  swaddled  in  blankets  on  the  ground.  They 
were  dim,  pitiable  objects,  barely  discernible  through 
the  flying  scud,  yet  Hamlin  was  quick  to  perceive  the 
advantage  of  their  position  —  the  overhanging  bluff 

281 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

was  complete  protection  from  any  attack  except  along 
the  open  bank  of  the  river.  Two  armed  men  could 
defend  the  spot  against  odds.  And  below,  a  hundred 
yards  away,  perhaps  —  it  was  hard  to  judge  through 
that  smother  —  the  bare  limbs  of  several  stunted  cot- 
tonwoods  waved  dismally  against  the  gray  sky. 
Hesitating,  his  eyes  searching  the  barrenness  above 
to  where  the  stream  bent  northward  and  disappeared, 
he  turned  at  last  and  tramped  downward  along  the 
edge  of  the  stream.  Across  stretched  the  level,  white 
prairie,  beaten  and  obscured  by  the  storm,  while  to 
his  left  arose  the  steep,  bare  bluff,  swept  clear  by  the 
wind,  revealing  its  ugliness  through  the  haze  of  snow. 
Not  in  all  the  expanse  was  there  visible  a  moving  ob 
ject  nor  track  of  any  kind.  He  was  alone,  in  the  midst 
of  indescribable  desolation  —  a  cold,  dead,  dreary 
landscape. 

He  came  to  the  little  patch  of  forest  growth,  a  dozen 
gaunt,  naked  trees  at  the  river's  edge,  stunted,  two 
of  them  already  toppling  over  the  bank,  apparently  un 
dermined  by  the  water,  threatening  to  fall  before  each 
blast  that  smote  them.  Hoping  to  discover  some 
splinters  for  a  fire,  Hamlin  kicked  a  clear  space  in 
the  snow,  yet  kept  his  face  always  toward  the  bluff, 

282 


UNSEEN  DANGER 

his  eyes  vigilantly  searching  for  any  skulking  figure. 
Silent  as  those  desert  surroundings  appeared,  the  Ser 
geant  knew  he  was  not  alone.  He  had  a  feeling  that 
he  was  being  watched,  spied  upon;  that  somewhere 
near  at  hand,  crouching  in  that  solitude,  the  eyes  of 
murder  followed  his  every  movement.  Suddenly  he 
straightened  up,  staring  at  the  bluff  nearly  opposite 
where  he  stood.  Was  it  a  dream,  an  illusion,  or  was 
that  actually  the  front  of  a  cabin  at  the  base  of  the 
bank?  He  could  not  believe  it  possible,  nor  could 
he  be  sure.  If  so,  then  it  consisted  merely  of  a  room 
excavated  in  the  side  of  the  hill,  the  opening  closed 
in  by  cottonwood  logs.  It  in  no  way  extended  out 
ward  beyond  the  contour  of  the  bank,  and  was  so 
plastered  with  snow  as  to  be  almost  indistinguishable 
a  dozen  steps  away.  Yet  those  were  logs,  regularly 
laid,  beyond  a  doubt;  he  was  certain  he  detected  now 
the  dim  outlines  of  a  door,  and  a  smooth  wooden 
shutter,  to  which  the  snow  refused  to  cling,  the  size 
and  shape  of  a  small  window.  His  heart  throbbing 
with  excitement,  the  Sergeant  slipped  in  against  the 
bluff  for  protection,  moving  cautiously  closer  until  he 
convinced  himself  of  the  reality  of  his  strange  dis 
covery  by  feeling  the  rough  bark  of  the  logs.  It  was 

283 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

a  form  of  habitation  of  some  kind  beyond  question; 
apparently  unoccupied,  for  there  were  no  tracks  in  the 
snow  without,  and  no  smoke  of  a  fire  visible  any 
where. 


284 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

HUGHES'  STORY 

HAMLIN  thrust  his  glove  into  his  belt,  drew 
forth  his  revolver,  and  gripped  its  stock  with 
bare  hand.  This  odd,  hidden  dwelling  might  be  de 
serted,  a  mere  empty  shack,  but  he  could  not  dis 
connect  it  in  his  mind  from  that  murderous  attack 
made  upon  their  little  party  two  hours  before.  Why 
was  it  here  in  the  heart  of  this  desert?  Why  built 
with  such  evident  intent  of  concealment?  But  for 
what  had  occurred  on  the  plateau  above,  his  suspicions 
would  never  have  been  aroused.  This  was  already 
becoming  a  cattle  country;  adventurous  Texans,  seek 
ing  free  range  and  abundant  water,  had  advanced 
along  all  these  prominent  streams  with  their  grazing 
herds  of  long-horns.  Little  by  little  they  had  gained 
precarious  foothold  on  the  Indian  domains,  slowly 
forcing  the  savages  westward.  The  struggle  had 
been  continuous  for  years,  and  the  final  result  in 
evitable.  Yet  this  year  the  story  had  been  a  dif 
ferent  one,  for  the  united  tribes  had  swept  the  invading 

285 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

stockmen  back,  had  butchered  their  cattle,  and  once 
again  roamed  these  plains  as  masters.  Hamlin  knew 
this;  he  had  met  and  talked  with  those  driven  out, 
and  he  was  aware  that  even  now  Black  Kettle's  winter 
camp  of  hostiles  was  not  far  away.  This  hut  might, 
of  course,  be  the  deserted  site  of  some  old  cow  camp, 
some  outrider's  shack,  but  —  the  fellow  who  fired  on 
them !  He  was  a  reality  —  a  dangerous  reality  — 
and  he  was  hiding  somewhere  close  at  hand. 

The  Sergeant  stole  along  the  front  to  the  door, 
listening  intently  for  any  warning  sound  from  either 
without  or  within.  Every  nerve  was  on  edge;  all  else 
forgotten  except  the  intensity  of  the  moment.  He 
could  perceive  nothing  to  alarm  him,  no  evidence  of 
any  presence  inside.  Slowly,  noiselessly,  his  Colt 
poised  for  instant  action,  he  lifted  the  wooden  latch, 
and  permitted  the  door  to  swing  slightly  ajar,  yield 
ing  a  glimpse  within.  There  was  light  from  above, 
flittering  dimly  through  some  crevice  in  the  bluff,  and 
the  darker  shadows  were  reddened  by  the  cheery  glow 
of  a  fireplace  directly  opposite,  although  where  the 
smoke  disappeared  was  not  at  first  evident.  Hamlin 
perceived  these  features  at  a  glance,  standing  motion 
less.  His  quick  eyes  visioned  the  whole  interior  — 
a  rude  table  and  bench,  a  rifle  leaning  in  one  corner, 

286 


His  Colt  poised  for  instant  action,  he  lifted  the  wooden 
latch. 


HUGHES'  STORY 

a  saddle  and  trappings  hanging  against  the  wall;  a 
broad-brimmed  hat  on  the  floor,  a  pile  of  skins  be 
yond.  There  was  an  appearance  of  neatness  also,  the 
floor  swept,  the  table  unlittered.  Yet  he  scarcely 
realized  these  details  at  the  time  so  closely  was  his 
whole  attention  centred  on  the  figure  of  a  man.  The 
fellow  occupied  a  stool  before  the  fireplace,  and  was 
bending  slightly  forward,  staring  down  at  the  red 
embers,  unconscious  of  the  intruder.  He  was  a  thin- 
chested,  unkempt  individual  with  long  hair,  and 
shaggy  whiskers,  both  iron  gray.  The  side  of  his  face 
and  neck  had  a  sallow  look,  while  his  nose  was  prom 
inent.  The  Sergeant  surveyed  him  a  moment,  his 
cocked  revolver  covering  the  motionless  figure,  his  lips 
set  grimly.  Then  he  stepped  within,  and  closed  the 
door. 

At  the  slight  sound  the  other  leaped  to  his  feet, 
overturning  the  stool,  and  whirled  about  swiftly,  his 
right  hand  dropping  to  his  belt. 

"  That  will  do,  friend !  "  Hamlin's  voice  rang  stern. 

"  Stand  as  you  are  —  your  gun  is  lying  on  the  bench 
yonder.  Rather  careless  of  you  in  this  country.  No, 
I  wouldn't  risk  it  if  I  was  you;  this  is  a  hair  trigger." 

The  fellow  stared  helpless  into  the  Sergeant's  gray 
eyes. 

287 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

;' Who  —  who  the  hell  are  you?"  he  managed  to 
articulate  hoarsely,  "a  —  a  soldier?" 

Hamlin  nodded,  willing  enough  to  let  the  other  talk. 
'  You  're  —  you  're  not  one  o'  Le  Fevre's  outfit?  " 

"Whose?" 

"Gene  Le  Fevre  —  the  damn  skunk;  you  know 
him?" 

Startled  as  he  was,  the  Sergeant  held  himself  firm, 
and  laughed. 

"  I  reckon  there  is  n't  any  one  by  that  name  a  friend 
o'  mine,"  he  said  coolly.  "  So  you  're  free  to  relieve 
your  feelings  as  far  as  I  'm  concerned.  Were  you 
expecting  that  gent  along  this  trail  ?  " 

'  Yes,  I  was,  an'  'twa'n't  no  pleasant  little  recep 
tion  I  'lowed  to  give  him  neither.  Say !  Would  n't 
yer  just  as  soon  lower  thet  shootin'  iron?  We  ain't 
got  no  call  to  quarrel  so  fur  as  I  kin  see." 

"  Maybe  not,  stranger,"  and  Hamlin  leaned  back 
against  the  table,  lowering  his  weapon  slightly,  as  he 
glanced  watchfully  about  the  room,  "  but  I  '11  keep  the 
gun  handy  just  the  same  until  we  understand  each 
other.  Anybody  else  in  this  neighborhood?  " 

"  Not  unless  it 's  Le  Fevre,  an'  his  outfit." 

"  Then  I  reckon  you  did  the  shooting  out  there 
a  bit  ago?" 

288 


HUGHES'  STORY 

The  man  shuffled  uneasily,  but  the  Sergeant's  right 
hand  came  to  a  level. 

"Did  you?" 

"  I  s'pose  thar  ain't  no  use  o'  denyin'  it,"  reluctantly, 
eyeing  the  gun  in  the  corner,  "  but  I  did  n't  mean  to 
shoot  up  no  outfit  but  Le  Fevre's.  So  help  me,  I 
did  n't !  The  danged  snow  was  so  thick  I  could  n't  see 
nohow,  and  I  never  s'posed  any  one  was  on  the  trail 
'cept  him.  Thar  ain't  been  no  white  man  'long  yere 
in  three  months.  Didn't  hit  none  of  yer,  did  I?" 

'  Yes,  you  did,"  returned  Hamlin  slowly,  striving 
to  hold  himself  in  check.  "  You  killed  one  of  the  best 
fellows  that  ever  rode  these  plains,  you  sneaking 
coward,  you.  Shot  him  dead,  with  his  back  to  you. 
Now,  see  here,  it 's  a  throw  of  the  dice  with  me 
whether  I  fill  you  full  of  lead,  or  let  you  go.  I  came 
in  here  intending  to  kill  you,  if  you  were  the  cur  who 
shot  us  up.  But  I  'm  willing  to  listen  to  what  you 
have  got  to  say.  I  'm  some  on  the  fight,  but  plain 
murder  don't  just  appeal  to  me.  How  is  it?  Are 
you  ready  to  talk?  Spit  it  out,  man!  " 

"  I  '11  tell  yer  jest  how  it  was." 

"Do  it  my  way  then;  answer  straight  what  I  ask 
you.  Who  are  you?  What  are  you  doing  here?  " 

"Kin  I  sit  down?" 

19  289 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"Yes;  make  it  short  now;  all  I  want  Is  facts." 

The  man  choked  a  bit,  turned  and  twisted  on  the 
stool,  but  was  helpless  to  escape. 

"Wai,  my  name  is  Hughes  —  Jed  Hughes;  I  uster 
hang  out  round  San  Antone,  an*  hev  been  mostly  in 
the  cow  business.  The  last  five  years  Le  Fevre  an' 
I  hev  been  grazin'  cattle  in  between  yere  an'  Buffalo 
Creek." 

"Partners?" 

"Wai,  by  God!  I  thought  so,  till  just  lately," 
his  voice  rising.  "  Anyhow,  I  hed  a  bunch  o'  money 
in  on  the  deal,  though  I  '11  be  darned  if  I  know  just 
what 's  become  o'  it.  Yer  see,  stranger,  Gene  hed  the 
inside  o'  this  Injun  business,  bein'  as  he  's  sorter  a 
squaw  man  — " 

"What!"  interrupted  the  other  sharply.  "Do 
you  mean  he  married  into  one  of  the  tribes?  " 

"Sorter  left-handed  —  yep;  a  Cheyenne  woman. 
Little  thing  like  that  did  n't  faze  Gene  none,  if  he 
did  have  a  white  wife  —  a  blamed  good-looker  she 
was  too.  She  was  out  here  onc't,  three  years  ago, 
'bout  a  week  maybe.  Course  she  did  n't  know  nothin' 
'bout  the  squaw,  an'  the  Injuns  was  all  huntin'  down 
in  the  Wichitas.  But  as  I  wus  savin',  Gene  caught 
on  to  this  yere  Injun  war  last  spring  —  I  reckon  ol' 

290 


HUGHES'  STORY 

Koleta,  his  Injun  father-in-law,  likely  told  him  what 
wus  brewin'  —  he  's  sorter  a  war-chief.  Anyhow  he 
knew  thet  hell  wus  to  pay,  an'  so  we  natch'ally  gath 
ered  up  our  long-horns  an*  drove  'em  east  whar  they 
would  n't  be  raided.  We  did  n't  git  all  the  critters 
rounded  up,  as  we  wus  in  a  hurry,  an'  they  wus  scat 
tered  some  'cause  of  a  hard  winter.  So  I  come  back 
yere  to  round  up  the  rest  o'  ther  bunch." 

"  And  brand  a  few  outsiders." 

He  grinned. 

"  Maybe  I  was  n't  over-particular,  but  anyhow  I 
got  a  thousand  head  together  by  the  last  o'  June,  an' 
hit  the  trail  with  'em.  Then  hell  sure  broke  loose. 
'Fore  we  'd  got  that  bunch  o'  cattle  twenty  mile  down 
the  Cimarron  we  wus  rounded  up  by  a  gang  o'  Chey 
enne  Injuns,  headed  by  that  ornery  Koleta,  and  every 
horn  of  'em  drove  off.  Thar  wa'n't  no  fight;  the 
damn  bucks  just  laughed  at  us,  an'  left  us  sittin'  thar 
out  on  the  prairie.  They  hogged  bosses  an'  all." 

He  wiped  his  face,  and  spat  into  the  fire,  while 
Hamlin  sat  silent,  gun  in  hand. 

"  I  reckon  now  as  how  Le  Fevre  put  ol'  Koleta  wise 
to  that  game,  but  I  was  plum  innocent  then,"  he  went 
on  regretfully.  "  Wall,  we,  —  thar  wus  four  o'  us, 
—  hoofed  it  east  till  we  struck  some  ranchers  on  Cow 

291 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

Crick,  and  got  the  loan  o'  some  ponies.  Then  I  struck 
out  to  locate  the  main  herd.  It  did  n't  take  me  long, 
stranger,  to  discover  thar  wa'n't  no  herd  to  locate. 
But  I  struck  their  trail,  whar  Le  Fevre  had  driven 
'em  up  into  Missouri  and  cashed  in  fer  a  pot  o'  money. 
Then  the  damn  cuss  just  natch'ally  vanished.  I 
plugged  'bout  fer  two  er  three  months  hopin'  ter  ketch 
up  with  him,  but  I  never  did.  I  heerd  tell  o'  him 
onc't  or  twice,  an'  caught  on  he  was  travellin'  under 
'nuther  name  —  some  durn  French  contraction  —  but 
thet  's  as  much  as  I  ever  did  find  out.  Finally,  up 
in  Independence  I  wus  so  durn  near  broke  I  reckoned 
I  'd  better  put  what  I  hed  left  in  a  grub  stake,  an' 
drift  back  yere.  I  figgered  thet  maybe  I  could  pick 
up  some  o'  those  Injun  cattle  again,  and  maybe  some 
mavericks,  an'  so  start  'nuther  herd.  Anyhow  I  could 
lie  low  fer  a  while,  believin'  Le  Fevre  wus  sure  ter 
come  back  soon  as  he  thought  the  coast  wus  clear.  I 
knew  then  he  an'  Koleta  was  in  cahoots  an'  he  'd  be 
headin'  this  way  after  the  stock.  So  I  come  down  yere 
quiet,  an'  laid  fer  him  to  show  up." 

"What  then?" 

"  Nuthin'  much,  till  yisterday.  I  got  tergether 
some  cows,  herded  down  river  a  ways,  out  o'  sight  in 
the  bluffs,  but  hev  hed  ter  keep  mighty  quiet  ter  save 

292 


HUGHES'  STORY 

my  hair.  Them  Cheyennes  are  sure  pisen  this  year, 
an'  raisin'  Cain.  I  never  see  'em  so  rambunctious 
afore.  But  I  hung  on  yere,  hidin'  out,  cause  I  did  n't 
hev  nowhar  else  ter  go.  An'  yisterday,  just  ahead 
o'  the  blizzard,  a  Kiowa  buck  drifted  in  yere. 
Slipped  down  the  bluff,  an'  caught  me  'fore  ever  I  saw 
him.  Never  laid  eyes  on  the  red  afore  but  he  wus 
friendly  'nough,  natch'ally  mistakin'  me  fer  one  o'  Le 
Fevre's  herders.  His  name  wus  Black  Smoke,  an' 
he  could  n't  talk  no  English  worth  mentioning  but  we 
made  out  to  understan'  each  other  in  Mex.  He  wus 
too  darn  hungry  and  tired  to  talk  much  anyhow.  But 
I  got  what  I  wanted  to  know  out  o'  him." 

"Well,  go  on,  Hughes;  you  are  making  a  long 
story  out  of  it." 

"  The  rest  is  short  'nough.  It  seems  he  an'  ol' 
Koleta,  an'  a  young  Cheyenne  buck,  had  been  hang- 
in'  'round  across  the  river  from  Dodge  fer  quite  a 
while  waitin'  fer  Le  Fevre  to  pull  off  some  sorter  stunt. 
Maybe  I  did  n't  get  just  the  straight  o'  it,  but  any 
how  they  held  up  a  paymaster,  er  something  like  that, 
fer  a  big  boodle.  They  expected  to  do  it  quiet  like, 
hold  the  off'cer  a  day  er  so  out  in  the  desert,  an'  then 
turn  him  loose  to  howl.  But  them  plans  did  n't  just 
exactly  work.  The  fellow's  daughter  was  with  him, 

293 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

when  the  pinch  was  made,  an'  they  hed  to  take  her 
'long  too.  Then  the  officer  man  got  ugly,  an'  had  to 
be  shot,  an'  Le  Fevre  quarrelled  with  the  other  white 
man  in  the  outfit,  an'  killed  him.  That  left  the  gal 
on  their  hands,  an'  them  all  in  a  hell  of  a  fix  if  they 
wus  ever  caught.  The  young  Injuns  wanted  to  kill 
the  gal  too,  an'  shet  her  mouth,  but  somehow  Le 
Fevre  an'  Koleta  wouldn't  hear  to  it  —  said  she  'd  be 
worth  more  alive  than  dead,  an'  that  they  could  hide 
her  whar  she  'd  never  be  heard  of  ag'in  unless  her 
friends  put  up  money  to  buy  her  back." 

Hamlin  was  leaning  forward,  watching  the  speaker 
intently,  and  it  seemed  to  him  his  heart  had  stopped 
beating.  This  story  had  the  semblance  of  truth;  it 
was  the  truth.  So  Dupont  and  Le  Fevre  were  one 
and  the  same.  He  could  believe  this  now,  could  per 
ceive  the  resemblance,  although  the  man  had  grown 
older,  taken  on  flesh,  and  disguised  himself  wonder 
fully  by  growing  that  black  beard.  Yet,  at  the  mo 
ment,  he  scarcely  considered  the  man  at  all;  his  whole 
interest  concentrated  on  the  fate  of  the  unfortunate 
girl. 

"  Where  were  they  taking  her,  Hughes  —  do  you 
know?" 

"  Wa'n't  but  one  place  fer  'em  to  take  her  —  the 

294 


HUGHES'  STORY 

Cheyennes  hev  got  winter  camp  down  yonder  on  the 
Canadian  —  Black  Kettle's  outfit.  Onc't  thar,  all  hell 
could  n't  pry  her  loose." 

"  And  Le  Fevre  dared  go  there  ?  Among  those 
hostiles?" 

"Him!"  Hughes  laughed  scornfully.  "Why, 
he 's  hand  in  glove  with  the  whole  bunch.  He 's 
raided  with  'em,  decked  out  in  feathers  an'  war-paint." 

The  Sergeant  thought  rapidly  and  leaped  to  a  sud 
den  conclusion. 

"  And  you  were  trying  to  kill  him  when  you  shot 
us  up  ?  " 

'  Thet  wus  the  idea,  stranger ;  if  I  got  a  friend  o' 
yourn,  I  'm  powerful  sorry." 


295 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

SNOWBOUND 

THE  gleam  in  Hamlin's  eyes  impelled  the  other 
to  go  on,  and  explain  fully. 

"  Lord,  I  know  how  yer  feel,  stranger,  an',  I 
reckon,  if  yer  was  to  plug  me  right  yere  it  would  n't 
more  'n  even  matters  up.  But  yer  listen  furst  afore 
yer  shoot.  Thet  Kiowa  Black  Smoke  was  sent  on 
ahead,  an'  got  yere  afore  the  storm.  He  said  them 
others  wus  'bout  four  hours  behind,  an'  headin'  fer 
this  yere  cabin  to  make  camp.  They  wa'n't  hurryin' 
none,  fer  they  did  n't  suspect  they  wus  bein'  tracked. 
Well,  thet  was  my  chance;  what  I  'd  been  campin'  out 
yere  months  a-waitin'  fer.  I  did  n't  expect  ter  git 
nuthin'  back,  y'  understand;  all  I  wanted  was  ter  kill 
that  damn  skunk,  an'  squar  accounts.  It  looked  ter 
me  then  like  I  hed  him  on  the  hip.  He  did  n't  know 
I  was  in  the  kintry;  all  I  hed  to  do  was  lay  out  in 
the  hills,  an'  take  a  pot-shot  at  him  afore  he  saw 
me." 

"  And  get  the  girl  and  the  money." 

296 


SNOWBOUND 

"  As  God  is  my  witness,  I  never  thought  'bout  thet. 
I  jest  wanted  ter  plug  him.  I  know  it  sounds  sorter 
cowardly,  but  that  fellow  's  a  gun-fighter,  an'  he  hed 
two  Injuns  with  him.  Anyhow  that  wus  my  notion,  an' 
as  soon  as  Black  Smoke  went  lopin'  up  the  valley,  I 
loaded  up,  an'  climbed  them  bluffs,  to  whar  I  hed  a 
good  look-out  erlong  the  north  trail.  I  laid  out  thar 
all  night.  The  storm  come  up,  an'  I  mighty  nigh 
froze,  but  snuggled  down  inter  ther  snow  an'  stuck. 
When  yer  onc't  get  a  killin'  freak  on,  yer  goin'  through 
hell  an'  high  water  ter  get  yer  man.  Thet 's  how  I 
felt.  Well,  just  'long  'bout  daylight  an  outfit  showed 
up.  With  my  eyes  half  froze  over,  an'  ther  storm 
blowin'  the  snow  in  my  face,  I  could  n't  see  much  — 
nuthin'  but  outlines  o'  hosses  an'  men.  But  thar  was 
four  o'  'em,  an'  a  big  fellow  ahead  breakin'  trail. 
Course  I  thought  it  was  Le  Fevre;  I  wa'n't  lookin' 
fer  no  one  else,  an'  soon  as  I  dared,  I  let  drive.  He 
flopped  over  dead  as  a  door  nail,  an'  then  I  popped 
away  a  couple  o'  times  at  the  others.  One  fell  down, 
an'  I  thought  I  got  him,  but  did  n't  wait  to  make  sure  ; 
just  turned  and  hoofed  it  fer  cover,  knowin'  the  storm 
would  hide  my  trail.  I  'd  got  the  man  I  went  after, 
an'  just  natch'ally  did  n't  give  er  whoop  what  become 
o'  the  rest.  As  I  went  down  the  bank  I  heard  'em 

297 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

shootin'  so  I  knowed  some  wus  alive  yet  an'  it  would 
be  better  fer  me  to  crawl  inter  my  hole  an'  lie  still." 

Hamlin  sat  motionless,  staring  at  the  man,  not  quite 
able  to  comprehend  his  character.  Killing  was  part 
of  the  western  code,  and  he  could  appreciate  Hughes' 
eagerness  for  revenge,  but  the  underlying  cowardice  in 
the  man  was  almost  bewildering.  Finally  he  got  up, 
swept  the  revolver  on  the  bench  into  his  pocket,  walked 
over,  and  picked  up  the  gun. 

"  Now,  Hughes,"  he  said  quietly.  "  I  '11  talk,  and 
you  listen.  In  my  judgment  you  are  a  miserable 
sneaking  cur,  and  I  am  going  to  trust  you  just  so  far 
as  I  can  watch  you.  I  suppose  I  ought  to  shoot  you 
where  you  are,  and  have  done  with  it.  You  killed 
one  of  the  best  men  who  ever  lived,  a  friend  of  mine, 
Sam  Wasson  — " 

"Who?" 

"  Sam  Wasson,  a  government  scout." 

Hughes  dropped  his  face  into  his  hands. 

"Good  Lord!     I  knew  him!" 

The  Sergeant  drew  a  deep  breath,  and  into  his 
face  there  came  a  look  almost  of  sympathy. 

"  Then  you  begin  to  realize  the  sort  of  fool  you 
are,"  he  went  on  soberly.  "  They  don't  make  better 
men  out  here;  his  little  finger  was  worth  more  than 

298 


SNOWBOUND 

your  whole  body.  But  killing  you  won't  bring  Sam 
back,  and  besides  I  reckon  you  Ve  told  me  the  straight 
story,  an'  his  shooting  was  an  accident  in  a  way. 
Then  you  're  more  useful  to  me  just  now  alive  than 
you  would  be  dead.  My  name  is  Hamlin,  sergeant 
Seventh  Cavalry,  and  I  am  here  after  that  man  Le 
Fevre.  We  trailed  his  outfit  from  Dodge  until  the 
storm  struck  us,  and  then  came  straight  through 
travelling  by  compass.  I  did  not  know  the  man's 
name  was  Le  Fevre  until  you  told  me;  up  in  Kansas 
he  Is  known  as  Dupont." 

"  That 's  it;  that 's  the  name  he  took  when  he  sold 
the  cattle." 

"  The  officer  robbed  and  killed  was  Major  Mc 
Donald,  and  it  is  his  daughter  they  hold.  The  fellow 
Dupont  quarrelled  with  and  shot  was  a  deserter  named 
Connors.  We  found  the  body.  Now  where  do  you 
suppose  Le  Fevre  is?  " 

Hughes  stared  into  the  fire,  nervously  pulling  his 
beard. 

"  Wall,  I  'd  say  in  west  yere  somewhar  along  the 
Cimarron.  'T  ain't  likely  he  had  a  compass,  an' 
the  wind  wus  from  the  nor'east.  Best  they  could  do, 
the  ponies  would  drift.  The  Injuns  would  keep  the 
gineral  direction,  o'  course,  storm  'er  no  storm,  an' 

299 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

Gene  is  some  plainsman  himself,  but  thet  blizzard 
would  sheer  'em  off  all  the  same.  I  reckon  they  're 
under  the  banks  ten  mile,  er  more,  up  thar.  An'  soon 
as  there  's  a  change  in  weather,  they  '11  ride  fer  Black 
Kettle's  camp.  Thet 's  my  guess,  mister." 

Hamlin  turned  the  situation  over  deliberately  in  his 
mind,  satisfied  that  Hughes  had  reviewed  the  possibili 
ties  correctly.  If  Le  Fevre's  party  had  got  through  at 
all,  then  that  was  the  most  likely  spot  for  them  to  be 
hiding  in.  They  would  have  drifted  beyond  doubt, 
farther  than  Hughes  supposed,  probably,  as  he  had 
been  sheltered  from  the  real  violence  of  the  wind 
as  it  raged  on  the  open  plain.  They  might  be  fif 
teen,  even  twenty  miles  away,  and  so  completely  drifted 
in  as  to  be  undiscoverable  except  through  accident. 
What  course  then  was  best  to  pursue  ?  The  storm  was 
likely  to  continue  violent  for  a  day,  perhaps  two  days 
longer.  His  horses  were  exhausted,  and  Carroll  help 
less.  It  might  not  even  be  safe  to  leave  the  latter 
alone.  Yet  if  the  frozen  man  could  be  left  in  the 
hut  to  take  care  of  himself  and  the  ponies,  would  there 
be  any  hope  of  success  in  an  effort  to  proceed  up  the 
river  on  foot?  He  could  make  Hughes  go  —  that 
was  n't  the  difficulty  —  but  probably  they  could  n't 
cover  five  miles  a  day  through  the  snowdrifts.  And, 

300 


SNOWBOUND 

even  if  they  did  succeed  in  getting  through  in  time 
to  intercept  the  fugitives,  the  others  would  possess 
every  advantage  —  both  position  for  defense,  and 
horses  on  which  to  escape.  Hughes,  lighting  his  pipe, 
confident  now  in  his  own  mind  that  he  was  personally 
safe,  seemed  to  sense  the  problem  troubling  the  Ser 
geant. 

"  I  reckon  I  know  this  yere  kintry  well  'nough," 
he  said  lazily,  "  ter  give  yer  a  pointer  er  two.  I  Ve 
rounded  up  long-horns  west  o'  yere.  Them  fellers 
ain't  goin'  to  strike  out  fer  the  Canadian  till  after  the 
storm  quits.  By  thet  time  yer  ponies  is  rested  up  in 
better  shape  than  theirs  will  be,  and  we  kin  strike 
'cross  to  the  sou'west.  We  're  bound  either  to  hit 
'em,  or  ride  'cross  thar  trail." 

"But  the  woman!"  protested  Hamlin,  striding 
across  the  floor.  "  What  may  happen  to  her  in  the 
meanwhile?  She  is  an  Eastern  girl,  unaccustomed  to 
this  life, —  a  —  a  lady." 

'  Yer  don't  need  worry  none  'bout  thet.  Ef  she  's 
the  right  kind  she  '11  stan'  more  'n  a  man  when  she  has 
to.  I  reckon  it  won't  be  none  too  pleasant  'long  with 
Gene  an'  them  Cheyenne  bucks,  but  if  she  's  pulled 
through  so  far,  thar  ain't  nuthin'  special  goin'  ter 
happen  till  they  git  to  the  Injun  camp." 

301 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  You  mean  her  fate  will  be  decided  in  council?  " 
"  Sure ;  thet  's  Cheyenne  law.  Le  Fevre  knows  it, 
an'  ol'  Koleta  would  knife  him  in  a  minute  if  he  got 
gay.  He  's  a  devil  all  right  —  thet  ol'  buck  —  but 
he  's  afraid  of  Black  Kettle,  an'  thar  won't  be  no  harm 
done  to  the  gal." 

The  Sergeant  walked  over  to  the  fire,  and  stared 
down  into  the  red  embers,  striving  to  control  himself. 
He  realized  the  truth  of  all  Hughes  said,  and  yet  had 
to  fight  fiercely  his  inclination  to  hasten  to  her  rescue. 
The  very  thought  of  her  alone  in  those  ruthless  hands 
was  torture.  There  was  no  selfishness  in  the  man's 
heart,  no  hope  of  winning  this  girl  for  himself,  yet 
he  knew  now  that  he  loved  her;  that  for  him  she 
was  the  one  woman  in  all  the  world.  Her  face  was 
in  his  memory;  the  very  soughing  of  the  wind 
seemed  her  voice  calling  him.  But  the  real  man  in 
him  —  the  plainsman  instinct  —  conquered  the  im 
petuosity  of  the  lover.  There  must  be  no  mistake 
made  —  no  rash,  hopeless  effort.  Better  delay,  than 
ultimate  failure,  and  Hughes'  plan  was  the  more 
practical  way.  He  lifted  his  head,  his  lips  set  with 
decision. 

"  You  're   right,   old  man.     We  '11  wait,"  he  said 
sternly.     "  Now  to  get  ready.     Have  you  a  corral?  " 

302 


SNOWBOUND 

The  other  made  a  gesture  with  his  hand. 

"  Twenty  rod  b'low,  under  the  bluff." 

"  We  '11  drive  the  horses  down,  feed  and  water 
them.  But  first  come  with  me;  there  is  a  half-frozen 
man  up  yonder." 

They  ploughed  through  the  snow  together,  chok 
ing  and  coughing  in  the  thick  swirl  of  flakes  that  beat 
against  their  faces.  The  three  horses,  powdered 
white,  stood  tails  to  the  storm,  with  heads  to  the  bluff, 
while  the  drifts  completely  covered  Carroll.  He  was 
sleeping,  warm  in  the  blankets,  and  the  two  men  picked 
him  up  and  stumbled  along  with  their  burden  to  the 
shelter  of  the  cabin.  Then  Hughes  faced  the  blizzard 
again,  leading  the  horses  to  the  corral,  while  Hamlin 
ministered  to  the  semi-conscious  soldier,  laying  him  out 
upon  a  pile  of  soft  skins,  and  vigorously  rubbing  his 
limbs  to  restore  circulation.  The  man  was  stupid 
from  exposure,  and  in  some  pain,  but  exhibited  no 
dangerous  symptoms.  When  wrapped  again  in  his 
blankets,  he  fell  instantly  asleep.  Hughes  returned, 
mantled  with  snow,  and,  as  the  door  opened,  the  howl 
of  the  storm  swept  by. 

"No  better  outside?" 

"  Lord,  no !  Worse,  if  anything.  Wind  more 
east,  sweepin'  the  snow  up  the  valley.  We  '11  be  plum 

303 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

shet   up    in   an   hour,    I    reckon.     Hosses   all   right, 
though." 

In  the  silence  they  could  hear  the  fierce  beating 
against  the  door,  the  shrieking  of  the  storm-fiend  en 
compassing  them  about. 


3°4 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE    CHASE 

HAMLIN  never  forgot  those  two  days  and  nights 
of  waiting,  while  the  storm  roared  without  and 
the  clouds  of  drifting  snow  made  any  dream  of  advance 
impossible.  Trained  as  he  was  to  patience,  the  delay 
left  marks  in  his  face,  and  his  nerves  throbbed  with 
pain.  His  mind  was  with  her  constantly,  even  in 
moments  of  uneasy  sleep,  picturing  her  condition 
unsheltered  from  the  storm,  and  protected  only  by 
Le  Fevre  and  his  two  Indian  allies.  If  he  could  only 
reach  them,  only  strike  a  blow  for  her  release,  it  would 
be  such  a  relief.  The  uncertainty  weighed  upon  him, 
giving  unrestricted  play  to  the  imagination,  and,  inci 
dentally  awakening  a  love  for  the  girl  so  overwhelm 
ing  as  almost  to  frighten  him.  He  had  fought  this 
feeling  heretofore,  sternly,  deliberately,  satisfied  that 
such  ambition  was  hopeless.  He  would  not  attempt 
to  lower  her  to  his  level,  nor  give  her  the  unhappiness 
of  knowing  that  he  dared  misconstrue  her  frank  friend 
liness  into  aught  more  tender.  But  these  misfortunes 

305 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

had  changed  the  entire  outlook.  Now  he  flung  all 
pretence  aside,  eager  to  place  his  life  on  the  altar  to 
save  her.  Even  a  dim  flame  of  hope  began  blazing  in 
his  heart  —  hope  that  he  might  yet  wring  from  Le 
Fevre  a  confession  that  would  clear  his  name.  He 
knew  his  man  at  last  —  knew  him,  and  would  track 
him  now  with  all  the  pitiless  ingenuity  of  a  savage. 
Once  he  could  stand  erect,  absolved  of  disgrace,  a  man 
again  among  men,  he  would  ignore  the  uniform  of  the 
ranks,  and  go  to  her  with  all  the  pride  of  his  race. 
Ay !  and  down  in  his  heart  he  knew  that  she  would  wel 
come  his  coming;  that  her  eyes  would  not  look  at  the 
uniform,  but  down  into  the  depths  of  his  own. 

He  thought  of  it  all  as  he  paced  the  floor,  or  stared 
into  the  fire,  while  outside  the  wind  raged  and  howled, 
piling  the  snow  against  the  cabin  front,  and  whirling 
in  mad  bursts  up  the  valley.  It  would  be  death  to 
face  the  fury  of  it  on  those  open  plains.  There  was 
nothing  left  him  but  to  swear,  and  pace  back  and  forth. 
Twice  he  and  Hughes  fought  their  way  to  the  corral, 
found  the  horses  sheltered  in  a  little  cove,  and  brought 
them  food  and  water.  The  struggle  to  accomplish 
this  was  sufficient  proof  of  the  impossibility  of  going 
farther.  Exhausted  and  breathless  they  staggered 
back  into  the  quietness  of  the  cabin,  feeling  as  though 

306 


THE  CHASE 

they  had  been  beaten  by  clubs.  Once,  desperate  to 
attempt  something,  Hamlin  suggested  searching  for  the 
bodies  of  Wasson  and  Wade,  but  Hughes  shook  his 
head,  staring  at  the  other  as  though  half  believing  him 
demented.  The  Sergeant  strode  to  the  door  and 
looked  out  into  the  smother  of  snow;  then  came  back 
without  a  word  of  protest. 

Carroll  improved  steadily,  complaining  of  pain 
where  the  frost  had  nipped  exposed  flesh,  yet  able  to 
sit  up,  and  eat  heartily.  There  remained  a  numbness 
in  his  feet  and  legs,  however,  which  prevented  his 
standing  alone,  and  both  the  others  realized  that  he 
would  have  to  be  left  behind  when  the  storm  abated. 
Hughes  would  go  without  doubt;  on  this  point  the 
Sergeant  was  determined.  He  did  not  altogether  like 
or  trust  the  man;  he  could  not  blot  from  memory  the 
cowardly  shot  which  had  killed  Wasson,  nor  entirely 
rid  himself  of  a  fear  that  he,  himself,  had  failed  an 
old  comrade,  in  not  revenging  his  death;  yet  one  thing 
was  clear  —  the  man's  hatred  for  Le  Fevre  made  him 
valuable.  Treacherous  as  he  might  be  by  nature,  now 
his  whole  soul  was  bent  on  revenge.  Moreover  he 
knew  the  lay  of  the  land,  the  trail  the  fugitives  would 
follow,  and  to  some  extent  Black  Kettle's  camp.  Little 
by  little  Hamlin  drew  from  him  every  detail  of  Le 

307 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

Fevre's  life  in  the  cattle  country,  becoming  more  and 
more  convinced  that  both  men  were  thieves,  their  herds 
largely  stolen  through  connivance  with  Indians.  Un 
doubtedly  Le  Fevre  was  the  bigger  rascal  of  the  two, 
and  possessed  greater  influence  because  of  his  marriage 
into  the  tribe. 

It  was  the  second  midnight  when  the  wind  died 
down.  Hamlin,  sleeping  fitfully,  seemed  to  sense  the 
change;  he  rose,  forced  the  door  open,  and  peered  out 
eagerly.  There  was  lightness  to  the  sky,  and  all  about, 
the  unbroken  expanse  of  snow  sparkled  in  cold  crys 
tals.  Nothing  broke  the  white  desolation  but  the  dark 
waters  of  the  river  still  unfrozen,  and  the  gaunt  limbs 
of  the  cottonwoods,  now  standing  naked  and  motion 
less.  The  silence  was  profound,  seeming  almost  pain 
ful  after  the  wild  fury  of  the  past  days.  He  could 
hear  the  soft  purr  of  the  water,  and  Carroll's  heavy 
breathing.  And  it  was  cold,  bitterly  cold,  the  chill 
of  it  penetrating  to  his  very  bones.  But  for  that  he 
had  no  care  —  his  mind  had  absorbed  the  one  impor 
tant  fact;  the  way  was  open,  they  could  go.  He  shook 
Hughes  roughly  into  wakefulness,  giving  utterance  to 
sharp,  tense  orders,  as  though  he  dealt  with  a  man 
of  his  own  troop. 

"  Turn  out  —  lively,  now.  Yes,  the  storm  is  over. 

308 


THE  CHASE 

It 's  midnight,  or  a  little  after,  and  growing  cold.  Put 
on  your  heavy  stuff,  and  bring  up  the  two  best  horses. 
Come,  now;  you  '11  step  off  quicker  than  that,  Hughes, 
if  you  ride  with  me.  I  '11  have  everything  ready  by 
the  time  you  get  here.  Eat !  Hell  I  We  '11  eat  in 
the  saddle  I  What's  that,  Carroll?' 

"  Ye  ain't  a-goin'  to  leave  me  yere  alone,  are  ye, 
Sergeant?  " 

"  No;  there  '11  be  two  horses  to  keep  you  company. 
You  Ve  got  a  snap,  man ;  plenty  to  eat,  and  a  good 
fire  —  what  more  do  you  want  —  a  nurse  ?  Hughes, 
what,  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  are  you  standing  there 
for?  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  have  me  stir  you  up. 
I  will  if  those  horses  are  not  here  in  ten  minutes." 

The  cowman,  muffled  to  the  ears  in  a  buffalo  coat, 
plunged  profanely  into  the  drift,  slamming  the  door 
behind  him.  Hamlin  hastily  glanced  over  the  few 
articles  piled  in  readiness  on  the  bench  —  ammunition, 
blankets,  food  —  paying  no  heed  to  Carroll's  mutter 
ing  of  discontent.  By  the  time  Hughes  returned,  he 
had  everything  strapped  for  the  saddles.  He  thrust 
the  cowman's  rifle  under  his  own  flap,  but  handed  the 
latter  a  revolver,  staring  straight  into  his  eyes  as  he 
did  so. 

"  I  reckon  you  and  I  have  got  enough  in  common 

309 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

in  this  chase  to  play  square,"  he  said  grimly.  "  We  're 
both  out  after  Le  Fevre,  ain't  we?" 

"You  bet." 

"  All  right,  then;  here  's  your  gun.  If  you  try  any 
trickery,  Hughes,  I  'd  advise  that  you  get  me  the  first 
shot,  for  if  you  miss  you  '11  never  have  another." 

The  man  drew  the  sleeve  of  his  coat  over  his  lips, 
his  eyes  shifting  before  the  Sergeant's  steady  gaze. 

"  I  ain't  thet  sort,"  he  muttered  uneasily.  "  Yer 
don't  need  to  think  thet  o'  me." 

"  Maybe  not,"  and  Hamlin  swung  into  the  saddle 
carelessly.  "  Only  I  thought  I  'd  tell  you  beforehand 
what  would  happen  if  you  attempt  any  fool  gun-play. 
Take  the  lead,  you  know  the  trail." 

Carroll,  supporting  himself  by  the  table,  crept  across 
to  the  door  and  watched  them,  reckless  as  to  the  enter 
ing  cold.  The  glare  .of  the  white  snow  revealed  clearly 
the  outlines  of  the  disappearing  horsemen,  as  they  rode 
cautiously  down  the  bank.  The  thin  fringe  of  shore 
ice  broke  under  the  weight  of  the  ponies'  hoofs,  as 
the  riders  forced  them  forward  into  the  icy  water.  A 
moment  later  the  two  crept  up  the  sharp  incline  of  the 
opposite  shore,  appearing  distinct  against  the  sky  as 
they  attained  the  summit.  Hamlin  waved  his  hand, 
and  then,  on  a  lope,  the  figures  vanished  into  the  gloom. 

310 


THE  CHASE 

Crying,  and  swearing  at  his  helplessness,  the  deserted 
soldier  closed  the  door,  and  crept  back  shivering  into 
his  blankets. 

Hughes  turned  his  horse's  head  to  the  southwest, 
and  rode  steadily  forward,  the  buffalo  overcoat  giving 
him  a  shaggy,  grotesque  appearance  in  the  spectral 
light  reflected  from  the  snow.  Without  a  word  Ham- 
lin  followed,  a  pace  behind.  Their  route  lay  for  the 
first  few  miles  across  a  comparatively  level  plateau, 
over  which  the  fierce  wind  of  the  late  storm  had  swept 
with  such  violence  as  to  leave  the  surface  packed  firm. 
The  night  shut  them  in  silently,  giving  to  their  imme 
diate  surroundings  a  mournful  loneliness  most  depress 
ing.  There  were  no  shadows,  only  the  dull  snow- 
gleam  across  which  they  passed  like  spectres,  the  only 
sound  the  crunching  of  their  horses'  hoofs  on  the  crust. 
The  Sergeant,  staring  about,  felt  that  he  had  never 
looked  upon  a  more  depressing  spectacle  than  this 
gloomy  landscape,  desolate  and  wind-swept,  still  over 
arched  with  low-lying  storm  clouds,  black  and  ominous. 

They  advanced  thus  for  two  hours,  making  no 
attempt  to  force  their  animals,  and  scarcely  exchanging 
a  word,  both  men  watchful  of  the  snow  underfoot  in 
search  of  a  possible  trail,  when  the  character  of  the 
country  began  to  change.  The  level  plain  broke  into 


a  series  of  ridges  of  irregular  formation,  all  evidently 
heading  toward  some  more  southern  valley.  In  the 
depressions  the  snow  lay  banked  in  deep  drifts,  and, 
after  plunging  desperately  through  two  of  these,  unable 
to  judge  correctly  in  the  dim  light  where  to  ride, 
Hughes  turned  more  to  the  south,  skirting  along  the 
bare  slope  of  a  ridge,  trusting  some  turn  lower  down 
would  yield  them  the  necessary  westerning. 

"  It 's  over  the  ponies'  heads  down  thar,  Sergeant," 
he  said,  pointing  sideways  into  the  dark  hollow,  "  an' 
we  're  bound  to  strike  a  cross-ridge  afore  we  come  to 
the  bluffs." 

"What  bluffs?     The  Canadian?" 

"  Yep ;  it 's  badly  broken  kintry  a  long  ways  west 
o'  yere.  Bad  lands,  mostly,  an'  a  hell  o'  a  place  for 
cattle  to  hide  out." 

"  Hughes,  do  you  know  where  Black  Kettle's  camp 
is?" 

"  Well,  no,  not  exactly.  Las'  winter  the  Cheyennes 
was  settled  'bout  opposite  the  mouth  o'  Buffalo  Creek, 
an'  thar  're  down  thar  somewhar  now.  Thar  's  one 
thing  sure  —  they  ain't  any  east  o'  thet.  As  we  ain't 
hit  no  trail,  I  reckon  as  how  Le  Fevre's  outfit  must 
hev  drifted  further  then  I  calc'lated." 

"  I  thought  so  at  the  time,"  commented  the  other 

312 


THE  CHASE 

quietly.  "  However,  we  will  have  to  make  the  circle, 
and,  if  the  country  out  yonder  is  as  you  describe,  they 
will  be  no  better  off.  They  '11  have  to  follow  the 
ridges  to  get  through.  We  may  get  a  glimpse  when 
daylight  comes." 

They  rode  on  steadily,  keeping  down  below  the 
crest  of  the  hills,  yet  picking  a  passage  where  the  snow 
had  been  swept  clear.  The  slipperiness  of  the  incline 
made  their  progress  slow,  as  they  dared  not  risk  the 
breaking  of  a  horse's  leg  in  that  wilderness,  and  the 
faint  light  glimmer  was  most  confusing.  The  wind 
had  ceased,  the  calm  was  impressive  after  the  wild 
tumult,  but  the  cold  seemed  to  strengthen  as  the  dawn 
advanced,  viciously  biting  the  exposed  faces  of  the  men. 
The  straining  ponies  were  white  with  frost.  In  the 
gray  of  a  cheerless  dawn  they  reached  the  first  line 
of  bluffs,  and  drew  rein  just  below  the  summit,  where 
they  could  look  off  across  the  lower  ridges  to  the  west 
ward. 

It  was  a  wild,  desolate  scene,  the  dull  gray  sky  over 
head,  the  black  and  white  shading  below.  Mile  on 
mile  the  picture  unrolled  to  the  horizon,  the  vista 
widening  slowly  as  the  light  increased,  bringing  forth 
the  details  of  barren,  wind-swept  ridges  and  shallow 
valleys  choked  with  snow.  Not  a  tree,  not  a  shrub, 

313 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

not  even  a  rock  broke  the  dead  monotony.  All  was 
loneliness  and  silence.  The  snow  lay  gleaming  and 
untrampled,  except  as  here  and  there  a  dull  brown 
patch  of  dead  grass  darkened  the  side  of  a  hill.  Ham- 
lin  shadowed  his  eyes  with  gloved  hands,  studying  in 
tently  inch  by  inch  the  wide  domain.  Suddenly  he 
arose  in  his  stirrups,  bending  eagerly  forward. 

"By  heaven!  There  they  are,  Hughes,"  he  ex 
claimed,  feeling  the  hot  blood  course  through  his  veins. 
"  See,  on  the  incline  of  that  third  ridge.  There  is  a 
shadow  there,  and  they  are  not  moving.  Here;  draw 
in  back  of  me;  now  you  can  see.  It  looks  as  though 
they  had  a  horse  down." 

Hughes  stared  long  in  the  direction  indicated,  his 
eyes  narrowed  into  mere  slits. 

"  Ah !  that 's  it,"  he  said  at  last.  "  Horse  broke  a 
leg;  shot  it  jest  then  —  I  seen  the  flash.  Now  they  're 
goin'  on.  See!  One  fellow  climbin'  up  behind 
'nother,  an'  the  horse  left  lyin'  thar  on  the  snow." 

"  How  many  people  do  you  make  out?  "  and  Ham- 
lin's  voice  shook  a  little.  "  There 's  four,  ain't 
there?" 

At  that  distance  the  fugitives  looked  like  mere  black 
dots.  It  could  scarcely  be  determined  that  they 
moved,  and  yet  their  outlines  were  distinct  against  the 

3H 


THE  CHASE 

background  of  white  snow,  while  the  two  watchers 
possessed  the  trained  vision  of  the  plains.  Hughes 
answered  after  a  deliberate  inspection,  without  so  much 
as  turning  his  head. 

"  Thar  's  four;  leastwise  thar  was  four  hosses,  and 
two  —  the  Injuns  likely  —  are  ridin'  double.  Thar 
animals  are  'bout  played,  it  looks  ter  me  —  just  able 
ter  crawl.  Ain't  had  no  fodder  is  'bout  the  size  o*  it. 
We  ought  to  be  able  ter  head  thet  bunch  off  'fore 
they  git  to  the  Canadian  at  thet  rate  o'  travel — -hey, 
Sergeant?  " 

Hamlin's  eyes  followed  the  long  sweep  of  the  cross- 
ridge,  studying  its  trend,  and  the  direction  of  the  inter 
vening  valleys.  Once  down  on  the  other  slope  all  this 
extensive  view  would  be  hidden;  they  would  have  to 
ride  blindly,  guessing  at  the  particular  swale  along 
which  those  others  were  advancing.  To  come  to  the 
summit  again  would  surely  expose  them  to  those  keen 
Indian  eyes.  They  would  be  searching  the  trail  ahead 
ceaselessly,  noting  every  object  along  the  crests  of  the 
ridges.  However,  if  the  passage  around  was  not 
blocked  with  snow,  they  ought  to  attain  the  junction 
in  ample  time.  With  twice  as  far  to  travel,  their 
ponies  were  strong  and  fit,  and  should  win  out  against 
Le  Fevi  e's  starved  beasts.  He  waved  his  gloved  hand. 

315 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  We  '11  try  it,"  he  said  shortly;  "  come  on,  Hughes." 
He  led  off  along  the  steep  side  of  the  hill,  and 
forcing  his  horse  into  a  sharp  trot,  headed  straight  out 
into  the  white  wilderness;  Hughes,  without  uttering  a 
word,  brought  down  his  quirt  on  his  pony's  flank  and 
followed. 


316 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  FIGHT  IN  THE  SNOW 

THE  slope  toward  the  south  had  not  been  swept 
clear  by  the  wind,  and  the  horses  broke  through 
the  crust  to  their  knees,  occasionally  stumbling  into 
hollows  where  the  drifts  were  deep.  This  made  prog 
ress  slow,  although  Hamlin  pressed  forward  recklessly, 
fully  aware  of  what  it  would  mean  should  the  fugitives 
emerge  first,  and  thus  achieve  a  clear  passage  to  the 
river.  What  was  going  on  there  to  the  right,  behind 
the  fringe  of  low  hills,  could  not  be  conjectured,  but 
to  the  left  the  riders  could  see  clearly  for  a  great  dis 
tance  over  the  desolate,  snow-draped  land,  down  to 
the  dark  waters  of  the  Canadian  and  the  shore  beyond. 
It  was  all  a  deserted  waste,  barren  of  movement,  and 
no  smoke  bore  evidence  of  any  Indian  encampment 
near  by.  A  mile  or  more  to  the  west  the  river  took  a 
sharp  bend,  disappearing  behind  the  bluffs,  and  on  the 
open  plain,  barely  visible  against  the  unsullied  mantle 
of  snow,  were  dark  specks,  apparently  moving,  but  in 
erratic  fashion.  The  distance  intervening  was  too 

317 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

great  for  either  man  to  distinguish  exactly  what  these 
might  be,  yet  as  they  plunged  onward  their  keen 
eyes  searched  the  valley  vigilantly  through  the  cold 
clear  air. 

"Some  of  your  long-horns,  Hughes?"  asked  the 
Sergeant  finally,  pointing  as  he  turned  and  glanced 
back.  "  Quite  a  bunch  of  cattle,  it  looks  to  me." 

'  Them  thar  ain't  cows,"  returned  the  other  posi 
tively.  "  Tha  're  too  closely  bunched  up.  I  reckon 
it  '11  be  Black  Kettle's  pony  herd." 

"  Then  his  village  will  lie  in  beyond  the  big  bend 
there,"  and  Hamlin  .rose  in  his  stirrups,  shading  his 
eyes.  "  The  herders  have  n't  driven  them  far  since 
the  storm  broke.  You  don't  see  any  smoke,  do  you?  " 

Hughes  shook  his  head. 

'  You  would  n't  likely  see  none  against  thet  gray 
sky;  them  ponies  is  two  er  maybe  three  miles  off,  an' 
ther  camp  is  likely  a  mile  er  so  further.  Thar  's  a  big 
bend  thar,  as  I  remember;  a  sort  o'  level  spot  with 
bluff  all  'round,  'cept  on  the  side  o'  ther  river.  We 
hed  a  cattle  corral  thar  onc't,  durin'  a  round-up.  Most 
likely  that 's  whar  they  are." 

"  And  Le  Fevre  is  heading  straight  for  the  spot. 
Well,  he  '11  have  to  come  out  on  this  bench  first." 

'  Yep,   there  sure  ain't  no  valleys  lying  between. 


THE  FIGHT  IN  THE  SNOW 

How  many  o'  these  yere  gulch  openings  have  we  got 
past  already?  " 

"Three;  there's  the  fourth  just  ahead.  That's 
the  one  they  were  trailing  through.  No  doubt  about 
that,  is  there?" 

"  Not  'less  them  Injuns  took  to  the  ridge.  They 
wus  sure  in  the  fourth  valley  when  we  fust  sighted  the 
outfit  back  thar.  Whatcher  goin'  ter  do,  Sergeant? 
Jump  'em  a  hoss-back,  an'  just  pump,  lead?" 

Hamlin  had  thought  this  over  as  he  rode  and  already 
had  planned  his  attack.  The  opening  to  the  valley, 
along  which  Le  Fevre's  exhausted  party  were  slowly 
advancing  toward  them,  seemed  favorable  —  it  was 
narrow  and  badly  choked  with  snow.  It  offered  an 
ideal  place  for  a  surprise  and  was  far  enough  away 
from  the  Indian  encampment  —  if  the  latter  was  situ 
ated  as  Hughes  believed,  in  the  great  bend  above  — 
so  that  no  echo  of  shots  would  carry  that  distance,  even 
through  the  crisp  atmosphere.  There  were  two  things 
the  Sergeant  had  determined  to  accomplish  if  possible 
—  the  rescue  of  Miss  Molly  uninjured,  and  the  cap 
ture  of  Le  Fevre.  No  matter  how  deeply  he  despised 
the  man  he  could  not  afford  to  have  him  killed.  So 
far  as  the  Indians  were  concerned  there  would  be  no 
mercy  shown,  for  if  either  one  escaped  he  would  carry 

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MOLLY  MCDONALD 

the  news  to  the  village.  With  all  this  in  his  mind  the 
Sergeant  swung  out  of  the  saddle,  dropping  the  rein 
to  the  ground,  confident  that  the  tired  cow-pony  would 
remain  quiet.  His  belt  was  buckled  outside  the  army 
overcoat,  and  he  drew  his  revolver,  tested  it,  and 
slipped  it  back  loosely  into  the  holster.  Then  he  pulled 
out  the  rifle  from  under  the  flap  of  the  saddle,  grimly 
handling  it  in  his  gloved  fingers.  Hughes,  his  head 
sunk  into  his  fur  collar,  his  hot  breath  steaming  in  the 
cold  atmosphere,  watched  him  curiously. 

"  Lookin'  fer  a  right  smart  fight,  I  reckon,"  he  said, 
a  trifle  uneasily.  "  Believe  me,  yer  ain't  goin'  ter  find 
thet  fellar  no  spring  chicken.  He  's  some  on  ther  gun 
play." 

"  I  hope  he  knows  enough  to  quit  when  he  's  cor 
nered,"  returned  the  other  pleasantly,  sweeping  his 
eyes  to  the  opening  in  the  hills,  "  for  I  'm  aiming  to 
take  him  back  to  Kansas  alive." 

"The  hell  ye  are!" 

;t  That 's  the  plan,  pardner,  and  I  Ve  got  reason 
for  it.  I  knew  Le  Fevre  once,  years  ago,  during  the 
war,  and  I  Ve  been  some  anxious  to  get  my  hands  on 
him  ever  since.  He  's  worth  far  more  to  me  alive 
than  dead,  just  now,  and,  Hughes,"  his  voice  harden 
ing,  "  you  '11  bear  that  fact  in  mind  when  the  fracas 

320 


THE  FIGHT  IN  THE  SNOW 

begins.  From  now  on  this  is  my  affair,  not  yours. 
You  understand?  You  get  busy  with  the  two  bucks, 
and  leave  the  white  man  to  me.  Come  on  now, — 
dismount." 

Hughes  came  to  the  ground  with  evident  reluctance, 
swearing  savagely. 

"  What  do  yer  think  I  'm  yere  for,"  he  demanded 
roughly,  "  if  it  wa'n't  to  shoot  that  cuss?  " 

Hamlin  strode  swiftly  over,  and  dropped  a  hand  on 
the  shaggy  shoulder. 

"  You  are  here  because  I  ordered  you  to  come  with 
me;  because  if  you  hadn't  I  would  have  killed  you 
back  there  in  the  shack,  you  red-handed  murderer. 
Now  listen,  Hughes.  I  know  what  you  are  —  a  cattle 
thief.  You  and  Le  Fevre  belong  to  the  same  outfit, 
only  he  was  the  smarter  of  the  two.  I  have  spared 
your  life  for  a  purpose,  and  if  you  fail  me  now  I  '11 
shoot  you  down  as  I  would  a  dog.  Don't  try  to 
threaten  me,  you  cur,  for  I  am  not  that  kind.  I  am 
not  trusting  you ;  I  have  n't  from  the  first,  but  you  are 
going  into  this  fight  on  my  side,  and  under  my  orders." 

The  two  men  glared  into  each  other's  eyes,  silent, 
breathing  hard,  but  there  was  a  grim  determination 
about  the  Sergeant's  set  jaw  that  left  Hughes  speech 
less.  He  grinned  weakly,  stamping  down  the  snow 

321 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

under  foot.  Hamlin's  continued  silence  brought  a 
protest  to  his  lips. 

"  Damn  if  I  know  why  you  say  that,"  he  began. 
"Haven't  I  been  square?" 

"  Because  I  know  your  style,  Hughes.  You  hate 
Le  Fevre  for  the  dirty  trick  he  played  on  you,  but 
you  'd  sell  out  to  him  again  in  five  minutes  if  you 
thought  there  was  any  money  in  it.  I  don't  propose 
giving  you  the  chance.  You  '11  go  ahead,  and  you  are 
in  more  danger  from  me  than  that  outfit  yonder.  Now 
move,  and  we  '11  take  a  look  up  the  valley." 

They  ploughed  a  way  through  the  drifts  to  the 
mouth  of  the  narrow  opening  between  the  hills,  drop 
ping  to  their  knees  in  the  snow,  and  cautiously  creeping 
forward  the  last  few  yards.  Hamlin,  convinced  that 
fear  alone  could  control  the  ex-cowthief,  kept  slightly 
to  the  rear. 

"  Now  wait,  Hughes,"  he  said,  his  voice  lowered 
but  still  tense  with  command.  "  Be  careful,  man. 
Crawl  up  there  in  between  those  drifts,  and  look  over. 
Keep  down  low,  you  fool." 

The  two  men  wriggled  slowly  forward,  smothered 
in  the  snowdrift,  until  Hughes'  eyes  barely  topped  the 
surface.  Hamlin  lay  outstretched  a  foot  below,  watch 
ful  for  the  slightest  sign  of  treachery.  The  cowman 

322 


THE  FIGHT  IN  THE  SNOW 

stared  up  the  depression,  blinking  his  eyes  in  the  snow 
glare.     The  impatient  Sergeant  gripped  his  arm. 
"Well,  what  is  it?     Are  they  coming?" 
"  You  bet,  an'  about  dead,  from  the  looks  of  'em. 
Them   fellars  ain't  lookin'   fer  nuthin'.     I   reckon  I 
could  stand  up  straight  yere  an'  they  'd  never  see  me. 
Take  a  look  yerself;  it's  safe  'nough." 

Hamlin  drew  himself  up,  and  peered  out  over  the 
snow,  but  still  gripped  the  other's  arm.  With  his  first 
glance  up  the  valley  there  swept  over  him  a  strange 
feeling  of  sympathy  for  those  he  was  hunting.  It  was 
a  dismal,  depressing  picture  —  the  bare,  snow-covered 
hillsides,  and  between,  floundering  weakly  through  the 
drifts,  the  little  party  of  fugitives,  the  emaciated  ponies 
staggering  with  weakness,  the  men  on  foot,  reeling  as 
they  tramped  forward,  their  heads  lowered  in  utter 
weariness.  The  girl  alone  was  in  saddle,  so  wrapped 
about  in  blankets  as  to  be  formless,  even  her  face  con 
cealed.  The  manner  in  which  she  swayed  to  the 
movements  of  the  pony,  urged  on  by  one  of  the  Indians, 
was  evidence  that  she  was  bound  fast,  and  helpless. 
At  sight  of  her  condition  Hamlin  felt  his  old  relentless 
purpose  return.  He  was  plainsman  enough  to  realize 
what  suffering  those  men  had  passed  through  before 
reaching  such  extremity,  and  was  quick  to  appreciate 

323 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

the  full  meaning  of  their  exhaustion,  and  to  sym 
pathize  with  it.  He  had  passed  through  a  similar 
baptism,  and  remembered  the  desperate  clutch  of  the 
storm-king. 

But  the  sight  of  that  poor  girl  swaying  helplessly 
in  the  saddle,  a  bound  prisoner  in  the  midst  of  those 
ruffians,  who  had  murdered  her  father  before  her  eyes 
and  who  were  bearing  her  to  all  the  unspeakable  hor 
rors  of  Indian  captivity,  instantly  stifled  within  him 
every  plea  of  mercy.  No  matter  what  they  had  suf 
fered,  they  were  a  ruthless,  merciless  gang  of  cut 
throats  and  thieves,  fleeing  from  justice,  deserving  of 
no  consideration.  Yet  their  distressed  appearance, 
their  lack  of  vigilance,  rendered  him  careless.  They 
seemed  too  weak  to  resist,  too  exhausted  to  fight;  the 
cold  plucking  at  their  hearts  had  seemingly  already 
conquered.  It  was  this  impression  which  caused  him 
to  act  recklessly,  rising  to  his  feet,  rifle  in  hand,  directly 
in  their  track,  halting  their  advance  with  stern  com 
mand. 

"  Hands  up !  Quick  now,  the  three  of  you  !  Don't 
wait,  Dupont;  I  Ve  got  the  drop!  " 

The  white  man  was  in  front,  a  huge,  shapeless  figure 
in  his  furs,  his  black  beard  frosted  oddly.  He  stood 
motionless,  astounded  at  this  strange  apparition  in  blue 

324 


THE  FIGHT  IN  THE  SNOW 

cavalry  overcoat,  which  had  sprung  up  so  suddenly  in 
that  wilderness.  For  an  instant  he  must  have  deemed 
the  vision  confronting  him  some  illusion  of  the  desert, 
for  he  never  stirred  except  to  rub  a  gloved  hand  across 
his  eyes. 

"  By  all  the  gods,  Dupont,"  roared  the  Sergeant 
impatiently,  "  do  you  want  me  to  shoot?  Damn  you, 
throw  up  your  hands !  " 

Slowly,  as  though  his  mind  was  still  in  a  dream,  the 
man's  hands  were  lifted  above  his  head,  one  grasping 
a  short,  sawed-off  gun.  The  expression  upon  his  face 
was  ugly,  as  he  began  to  dimly  understand  what  this 
unexpected  hold-up  meant.  There  followed  an  instant 
of  silence,  in  which  Hamlin,  forgetful  of  Hughes,  who 
still  remained  lying  quiet  in  the  snow,  took  a  step  or 
two  forward,  rifle  at  shoulder.  The  two  Indians, 
swathed  in  blankets,  but  with  arms  upraised,  were  in 
direct  line,  motionless  as  statues.  He  could  see  the 
gleam  of  their  dark  eyes,  and  even  noticed  the  figure 
of  the  girl  straighten  in  the  saddle. 

Dupont  gave  fierce  utterance  to  an  oath.  Appar 
ently  he  failed  to  recognize  the  soldier,  but  as  Hughes 
rose  to  his  knees,  suspicion  leaped  instantly  to  his 
brain. 

"  A  hold-up,  hey  1  "  he  said  coolly.  "  Hughes,  you 

325 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

sneaking  old  coward,  come  out  into  the  open  once. 
What  is  it  you  want?  " 

"  Nothing  to  that,  Dupont,"  returned  the  Sergeant, 

glancing   back   questioningly   toward   his    companion. 

'  Your  old  partner  is  here  under  my  orders.     I  am 

Sergeant    Hamlin,    Seventh    Cavalry.     Throw    down 

that  gun !  " 

"Whatl     You—" 

'  Yes,   you   are  my  prisoner.     I  Ve   followed  you 
from  Dodge.     Throw  down  the  gun !  " 

It  was  dropped  sullenly  into  the  snow. 

"  Now,  Hughes,  go  ahead,  and  disarm  those 
Indians." 

The  cowman  shuffled  forward,  revolver  in  hand, 
circling  to  keep  safely  beyond  reach  of  Dupont,  who 
eyed  him  maliciously.  The  latter  was  so  buttoned  up 
in  a  buffalo  coat  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  him  to 
reach  a  weapon,  and  Hamlin  permitted  his  eyes  to 
waver  slightly,  as  he  watched  the  Indians.  What 
occurred  the  next  instant  came  so  suddenly  as  scarcely 
to  leave  an  impression.  It  was.  swift,  instinctive  action, 
primitive  impulse.  An  Indian  hand  fell  beneath  its 
blanket  covering;  there  was  a  flash  of  flame  across  a 
pony's  saddle;  Hughes  sprang  backward,  and  went 
reeling  into  the  snow.  Hamlin  fired,  as  the  savage 

326 


THE  FIGHT  IN  THE  SNOW 

dodged  between  the  horse's  legs,  sending  him  sprawl 
ing,  and,  ignoring  the  other  Indian,  swung  about 
to  cover  Dupont.  Swift  as  he  moved,  he  was  too  late. 
With  one  desperate  spring  backward  the  white  man 
was  behind  the  woman's  pony,  sheltered  by  her  shape 
less  figure,  gripping  the  animal's  bit.  The  second  In 
dian  dropped  to  his  knees  and  opened  fire.  With  a 
sudden  lurch  forward  the  Sergeant  plunged  headlong 
in  the  snow. 


3*7 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  GIRL  AND  THE  MAN 

AS  he  went  down,  uninjured,  but  realizing  now  that 
this  was  to  be  a  battle  to  the  death,  Hamlin  flung 
open  his  coat,  and  gripped  his  revolver.  Lying  there 
on  his  face  he  fired  twice,  deliberately,  choosing  the 
exposed  Indian  as  a  target.  The  latter,  striving  to 
mount  his  frightened  pony,  fell  forward,  grasping  the 
mane  desperately,  a  stream  of  blood  dyeing  his  blanket 
as  the  animal  dashed  across  the  valley.  Dupont  had 
whirled  the  girl's  horse  to  the  left,  and,  with  her  body 
as  a  shield,  was  attempting  to  escape.  Already  he 
was  too  far  away  to  make  a  revolver  shot  safe.  Ham 
lin  arose  to  his  knees,  and  picked  up  the  dropped  rifle. 
His  lips  were  pressed  tight;  his  eyes  full  of  grim  deter 
mination.  Why  didn't  Dupont  fire?  Could  it  be  he 
was  unarmed?  Or  was  he  hoping  by  delay  to  gain  a 
closer  shot?  Keen-eyed,  resolute,  the  Sergeant  deter 
mined  to  take  no  chances.  The  rifle  came  to  a  level, — 
a  spurt  of  flame,  a  sharp  report,  and  the  pony  staggered 
to  its  knees,  and  sank,  bearing  its  helpless  burden  with 

328 


THE  GIRL  AND  THE  MAN 

it.  Dupont  let  go  his  grip  on  the  rein,  and  stood 
upright,  clearly  outlined  against  the  white  hillside, 
staring  back  toward  the  kneeling  Sergeant,  the  faint 
smoke  cloud  whirling  between. 

"All  right  —  damn  you!  —  you've  got  me!"  he 
said  sullenly. 

Hamlin  never  moved,  except  to  snap  out  the  emptied 
cartridge. 

"  Unbutton  that  coat,"  he  commanded  tersely. 
"  Now  turn  around.  No  shooting  iron,  hey!  That 's 
rather  careless  of  a  gun-man." 

He  dropped  his  rifle,  and  strode  forward  revolver 
in  hand,  glancing  curiously  at  the  dead  Indian  as  he 
passed.  A  riata  hung  to  the  pommel  of  a  saddle,  and 
he  paused  to  shake  it  loose,  uncoiling  the  thin  rope,  but 
with  watchful  eyes  constantly  on  his  prisoner.  He  felt 
no  fear  of  Dupont,  now  that  he  knew  the  fellow  to  be 
unarmed,  and  the  wounded  Indian  had  vanished  over 
the  ridge.  Yet  Dupont  was  a  powerful  man,  and  des 
perate  enough  to  accept  any  chance.  Something  in 
the  sullen,  glowering  face  confronting  him  awoke  the 
Sergeant  to  caution.  He  seemed  to  sense  the  plan  of 
the  other,  and  stopped  suddenly,  slipping  the  rope 
through  his  fingers. 

He  swung  the  coil  about  his  head,  measuring  the 

329 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

distance,  every  faculty  concentrated  on  the  toss.  He 
had  forgotten  Hughes  lying  in  the  snow  behind;  he 
neither  saw  nor  heard  the  fellow  scramble  weakly  to 
his  knees,  revolver  outstretched  in  a  half-frozen  hand. 
And  Hughes,  his  eyes  already  glazing  in  death,  saw 
only  the  two  figures.  In  that  moment  hate  triumphed 
over  cowardice;  he  could  not  distinguish  which  was 
Dupont,  which  Hamlin.  In  the  madness  of  despair  he 
cared  little  —  only  he  would  kill  some  one  before  he 
died.  His  weapon  wavered  frantically  as  he  sought 
to  aim,  the  man  holding  himself  up  by  one  hand. 
Dupont,  facing  that  way,  saw  this  apparition,  and 
leaped  aside,  stumbling  over  the  dead  pony.  Hughes' 
weapon  belched,  and  Hamlin,  the  lasso  whirling  above 
him  in  the  air,  pitched  forward,  and  came  crashing 
down  into  the  snow. 

It  was  all  the  work  of  an  instant,  a  wild,  confused 
bit,  so  rapidly  enacted  as  to  seem  unreal  even  to  the 
participants.  Hamlin  lay  motionless,  barely  conscious 
of  living,  yet  unable  to  stir  a  muscle.  Hughes,  scream 
ing  out  one  oath,  sank  back  into  a  heap,  his  frozen 
fingers  still  gripping  his  smoking  weapon.  Then 
Dupont  rose  cautiously  to  his  knees,  peering  forth 
across  the  dead  body  of  the  pony.  The  man  was  un 
nerved,  unable  at  first  to  comprehend  what  had 

330 


THE  GIRL  AND  THE  MAN 

occurred.  He  was  saved  as  by  a  miracle,  and  his  great 
form  shook  from  head  to  foot.  Then,  as  his  eyes 
rested  on  the  outstretched  body  of  the  Sergeant,  hate 
conquered  every  other  feeling;  he  staggered  to  his  feet, 
picked  up  the  gun  lying  in  the  snow,  walked  across, 
and  brutally  kicked  the  prostrate  form.  There  was 
no  response,  no  movement. 

"  All  I  wish  is  that  I  'd  been  the  one  to  kill  yer," 
he  growled  savagely,  grinning  down.  "  Hell  of  a 
good  shot,  though  I  reckon  the  blame  fool  meant  it 
for  me."  He  threw  the  rifle  forward,  in  readiness, 
and  moved  cautiously  over  toward  Hughes. 

"  Deader  than  a  door-nail,"  he  muttered,  pressing 
back  the  buffalo  coat,  and  staring  contemptuously  down 
into  the  white,  staring  face.  "  I  wonder  how  that 
coward  ever  happened  to  be  here  —  laying  out  for  me, 
I  reckon!  " 

He  straightened  up  and  laughed,  glancing  furtively 
about. 

"  Some  good  joke  that.  The  whole  outfit  cleaned 
out,  and  me  twenty  thousand  to  the  good,"  feeling 
inside  his  coat  to  make  sure.  "  It 's  there  all  right. 
Well,  good-bye,  boys,  there  don't  seem  to  be  nothing 
here  for  me  to  stay  for." 

He  caught  the  straying  pony  and  swung  up  into  the 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

saddle,  glanced  about  once  more  at  the  motionless 
figures,  and  finally  rode  off  up  the  ridge,  unconsciously 
following  the  tracks  left  by  the  fleeing  Indian.  If 
the  girl  ever  occurred  to  him,  he  gave  no  sign  of 
remembrance,  and  she  uttered  no  word.  Lying  on  her 
side,  her  eyes  wide  open,  she  watched  him  ride  away, 
across  the  barren  space,  until  the  slow-moving  pony 
topped  the  ridge,  and  disappeared  on  the  other  side. 
Twice  the  man  turned  and  glanced  back  into  the  valley, 
but  saw  nothing  except  the  black  blotches  on  the  snow. 
Molly  made  no  motion,  no  outcry.  She  preferred 
death  there  alone,  rather  than  rescue  at  his  hands. 
Scarcely  conscious,  feeling  no  strength  in  her  limbs, 
no  hope  pulsing  at  her  heart,  she  closed  her  eyes  and 
lay  still.  Yet  wrapped  about  as  she  was,  her  young 
body  remained  warm,  and  the  very  disappearance  of 
Dupont  yielded  a  sense  of  freedom,  awoke  a  strong 
desire  to  live.  Her  eyes  opened  again,  despairingly, 
and  gazed  across  the  barren  expanse.  She  could  see 
Hamlin  lying  face  downward,  the  yellow  lining  of  his 
cavalry  cape  over  his  head.  It  seemed  to  her  the  man's 
foot  moved.  Could  she  be  dreaming?  No!  He 
actually  drew  up  one  limb. 

This  evidence  that  the  Sergeant  still  lived  gave  her 
fresh  strength  and  renewed  determination.     She  strug- 

332 


THE  GIRL  AND  THE  MAN 

gled  to  move  her  own  feet;  the  left  was  free,  but  the 
right  was  caught  firmly  beneath  the  pony.  She  strug 
gled  desperately,  forgetful  of  pain,  in  the  faith  that 
she  might  save  Hamlin.  Little  by  little  she  worked 
the  imprisoned  limb  free,  only  to  find  it  numb  and 
helpless.  She  lay  there  breathless,  conscious  that  she 
ached  from  head  to  foot.  Beyond  her  the  Sergeant 
groaned  and  turned  partially  over  upon  his  side.  Tug 
ging  at  the  blanket  she  managed  to  free  one  arm, 
gripped  the  mane  of  the  dead  pony,  and  drew  herself 
into  a  sitting  posture.  Now  the  blood  seemed  to  surge 
through  her  veins  in  new  volume,  and  she  labored 
feverishly  to  release  the  other  hand.  At  last  she  undid 
a  knot  with  her  teeth,  and  slipped  the  blanket  from  her, 
beating  her  hands  together  to  restore  circulation.  Her 
right  leg  still  was  too  numb  to  stand  upon,  but  she 
crept  forward,  dragging  it  helplessly  behind  her  over 
the  snow,  to  where  Hamlin  lay. 

The  girl's  heart  seemed  to  stop  beating  as  she  looked 
at  him  —  at  the  white,  colorless  face,  the  closed  eyes, 
the  discoloration  of  blood  staining  the  temple.  Yet 
he  lived;  his  faint  breath  was  plainly  perceptible  in  the 
frosty  air. 

"  O  God!  "  she  sobbed,  "  what  can  I  do!  " 

It  was  an  unrestrained  cry  of  anguish,  yet  there  was 

333 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

no  hesitation  in  action.  She  had  forgotten  everything 
except  that  helpless  figure  lying  before  her  on  the  snow 
—  her  own  danger,  the  surrounding  desolation,  the 
dead  forms  accentuating  that  wilderness  tragedy. 
With  bare  hands  she  bathed  his  face  in  snow,  rubbing 
the  flesh  until  it  flushed  red,  pressing  her  own  warm 
body  against  his,  her  lips  speaking  his  name  again  and 
again,  almost  hysterically,  as  though  she  hoped  thus 
to  call  him  back  to  consciousness.  Her  exploring 
fingers  told  her  that  it  was  no  serious  wound  which 
had  creased  the  side  of  his  head;  if  there  was  no  other 
he  would  surely  revive,  and  the  discovery  sent  her 
blood  throbbing  through  her  veins.  She  lifted  his 
head  to  her  lap,  chafing  his  cold  wrists  frantically,  her 
eyes  staring  again  out  across  the  barren  snow  fields, 
with  fresh  realization  of  their  intense  loneliness. 
She  choked  back  a  sob  of  despair,  and  glanced  down 
again  into  Hamlin's  face.  He  did  not  stir  but 
his  eyes  were  open,  regarding  her  in  bewilder 
ment. 

"  Molly,"  he  whispered,  forgetting,  "  is  this  really 
you  ?  What  has  happened  ?  " 

The  girl's  eyes  filled  instantly  with  tears,  but  she  did 
not  move,  except  that  the  clasp  of  her  hands  grew 
stronger. 

334 


THE  GIRL  AND  THE  MAN 

"Yes,  I  am  Molly;  please  do  not  move  yet.  You 
have  been  hurt,  but  it  is  all  right  now." 

"Hurt!"  he  lifted  his  head  slightly  and  stared 
about;  then  dropped  it  again  with  a  sigh  of  content. 
"  Oh,  yes,  now  I  know.  Hughes  shot  me  from  be 
hind."  He  struggled  upright,  in  spite  of  her  efforts  at 
restraint,  feeling  beside  him  for  the  rifle.  "  Dupont 
was  there,  behind  that  dead  pony.  What  became  of 
Dupont?" 

She  dropped  her  face  in  her  hands,  her  form  trem 
bling. 

"He  —  he  got  away.  He  thought  you  were  dead; 
to  —  to  make  sure  he  came  over  and  kicked  you.  Then 
he  took  your  rifle,  and  the  only  pony  left,  and  rode  off." 

"And  left  you?" 

"  Yes  —  he  —  he  never  thought  of  me ;  only  — 
only  how  he  should  escape  with  the  money.  I  never 
moved,  never  opened  my  eyes;  perhaps  he  believed  me 
dead  also,  and  —  and  I  prayed  he  would.  I  would 
rather  have  died  than  have  him  touch  me  again.  And 
—  and  I  thought  you  were  dead  too.  O  God!  It 
was  so  horrible !  " 

The  man's  voice  was  soft  and  low,  thrilling  with 
the  love  that  refused  control. 

"I    know,    dear;    I    know    it   all,    now,"    he    said 

335 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

tenderly,  clasping  her  hands.  "  But  that  is  all  over 
and  gone."  He  put  up  one  hand  to  his  wound. 
"  Heavens,  how  my  head  aches!  But  that  pain  won't 
last  long.  I  am  a  bit  groggy  yet,  but  will  be  on  my 
feet  pretty  soon.  You  are  a  brave  little  girl.  Tell 
me  how  you  got  free?  " 

She  went  over  the  short  story  slowly,  not  lifting  her 
eyes  to  his,  and  he  listened  in  silence,  moving  his  limbs 
about,  confident  of  the  gradual  return  of  strength. 

"  But  how  did  it  happen?  "  he  asked.  "  Your  cap 
ture?  Your  father's  death?  It  is  all  a  mystery  to 
me  after  I  left  you  on  the  hotel  balcony." 

The  tears  stood  in  her  eyes  suddenly  uplifted  to  his, 
and  impulsively  the  man  encircled  her  with  his  arm. 
'  You  know  I  care,  dear,"  he  exclaimed  recklessly. 
'  You  are  not  afraid  to  tell  me." 

"No,  no;  you  have  been  so  kind,  so  true.  I  can 
tell  you  everything  —  only  it  is  so  hard  to  confess  the 
truth  about  my  father." 

"You  suspect  he  was  implicated?"  he  asked  in 
astonishment,  "  that  he  actually  had  a  part  in  the 
plot?" 

She  looked  at  him  gravely,  down  into  his  very  soul. 

"  Yes,  and  —  and  that  hurts  more  than  all  the  rest." 


336 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

WORDS    OF    LOVE 

HAMLIN  was  silent  for  a  moment,  not  knowing 
what  to  say  that  would  comfort  or  help.  He 
had  never  suspected  this,  and  yet  he  could  not  refrain 
altogether  from  experiencing  a  feeling  of  relief. 
Deeply  as  he  sympathized  with  her  in  this  trouble,  still 
the  man  could  not  but  be  conscious  of  those  barriers 
formerly  existing  between  them  which  this  discovery 
had  instantly  swept  away.  Now  they  could  meet  upon 
a  level,  as  man  and  woman.  No  longer  could  rank 
intervene;  not  even  the  stain  of  his  own  court-martial. 
Possibly  she  dreamed  of  what  was  passing  in  his  mind, 
for  she  suddenly  lifted  her  eyes  to  his. 

"Shall  I  tell  you?" 

"  No;  not  now;  both  your  explanation  and  mine  can 
wait,"  he  replied  quickly.  "  I  can  stand  alone  now  — 
see,"  and  he  regained  his  feet,  swaying  slightly  with 
dizziness,  yet  smiling  down  at  her  as  he  held  forth  a 
hand.  "Now  you  try  it;  take  hold  of  me  until  you 

337 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

test  your  limbs  —  that  was  an  ugly  fall  you  got  when 
I  shot  your  pony." 

She  straightened  slowly,  her  cheeks  flushing  in  the 
keen  air,  her  eyes  striving  to  smile  back  in  response  to 
his  challenge. 

;'  That  was  nothing,"  she  protested,  tramping  about. 
"  I  only  went  down  into  the  snow,  but  my  arms  were 
bound,  and  the  pony  fell  on  my  foot  —  it  feels  quite 
natural  now." 

"  Good.  We  shall  have  to  tramp  a  little  way.  In 
which  direction  did  Dupont  go  ?  " 

"  Across  the  ridge  there ;  see,  that  is  his  trail." 

"  Then  he  never  saw  our  horses  out  yonder.  That 
is  one  piece  of  good  luck,  at  least.  The  sooner  we 
get  to  them  the  better.  I  have  been  guilty  of  enough 
foolishness  to-day  to  be  careful  hereafter.''  He  looked 
across  at  Hughes'  body.  "  I  wonder  if  that  fellow 
meant  to  hit  me?  I  never  trusted  him  much,  but  I 
didn't  expect  that.  Did  you  see  him  fire?  " 

"  Yes,  but  it  was  so  sudden  I  could  not  even  cry  out. 
He  was  upon  one  knee,  and  his  revolver  waved  like 
this  as  he  tried  to  aim.  Dupont  saw  it,  and  jumped 
just  as  he  pulled  the  trigger." 

"  I   thought  so.     The   poor   devil  got  the  wrong 


man." 


338 


WORDS  OF  LOVE 

"Why?     Were  those  two  enemies?" 

"  They  had  been  partners,  stealing  and  running 
cattle.  Dupont  had  cheated  Hughes  out  of  his  share, 
and  there  was  Ibad  blood  between  them.  I  ran  across 
the  fellow  up  on  the  Cimarron,  waiting  for  Dupont  to 
come  back  to  his  old  range.  Did  you  ever  hear 
Dupont  called  by  any  other  name  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head  questioningly. 

"  No ;  was  n't  that  his  real  name  ?  The  woman  back 
there  —  wasn't  she  his  wife?" 

"  She  was  his  wife,  yes;  but  their  name  was  not 
Dupont.  That  was  assumed;  the  correct  one  was  Le 
Fevre." 

"  Le  Fevre!  Why, —  why,  wasn't  that  the  name 
of  the  man  you  told  me  about  once?  —  the  officer  who 
brought  you  those  orders?  " 

"  He  is  the  same.  I  did  not  know  him  at  Dodge; 
not  until  Hughes  told  me.  He  had  changed  greatly 
in  appearance,  and  I  only  saw  him  at  night.  But  it 
was  because  I  knew  that  I  failed  to  kill  him  here;  I 
wanted  him  alive,  so  I  could  compel  him  to  tell  the 
truth." 

She  gave  a  little  sob,  her  hands  clasped  together. 
The  man's  voice  softened,  and  he  took  a  step  nearer, 
bending  above  her. 

339 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  And  yet  now  I  do  not  care  quite  as  much  as  I  did." 

She  looked  up  quickly  into  his  face,  and  as  swiftly 
lowered  her  lashes. 

'  You  mean  you  have  found  other  evidence  ?  " 

"  No,  but  I  have  found  you,  dear.  You  need  not 
try,  for  I  am  not  going  to  let  you  get  away.  It  is  not 
the  officer's  daughter  and  the  enlisted  man  any  more. 
Those  barriers  are  all  gone.  I  do  not  mean  that  I  am 
indifferent  to  the  stain  on  my  name,  or  any  less  desir 
ous  of  wringing  the  truth  from  Gene  Le  Fevre's  lips, 
but  even  the  memory  of  that  past  can  keep  me  silent 
no  longer.  You  are  alone  in  the  world  now,  alone 
and  in  the  shadow  of  disgrace  —  you  need  me." 

He  stopped,  amazed  at  the  boldness  of  his  own 
words,  and,  in  the  silence  of  that  hesitation,  Molly 
lifted  her  eyes  to  his  face. 

"  I  think  I  have  always  needed  you,"  she  said 
simply. 

He  did  not  touch  her,  except  to  clasp  the  extended 
hands.  The  loneliness  of  the  girl,  here,  helpless,  alone 
with  him  in  that  wilderness  of  snow,  bore  in  upon  his 
consciousness  with  a  suddenness  that  robbed  him  of 
all  sense  of  triumph.  He  had  spoken  passionately, 
recklessly,  inspired  by  her  nearness,  her  dependence 
upon  him.  He  had  faith  that  she  cared;  her  eyes,  her 

340 


WORDS  OF  LOVE 

manner,  had  told  him  this,  yet  even  now  he  could  not 
realize  all  that  was  meant  by  that  quiet  confession. 
The  iron  discipline  of  years  would  not  relax  instantly; 
in  spite  of  the  boldness  of  his  utterance,  he  was  still  the 
soldier,  feeling  the  chasm  of  rank.  Her  very  confes 
sion,  so  simply  spoken,  tended  to  confuse,  to  mystify 
him. 

"  Do  you  mean,"  he  asked  eagerly,  "  that  you  love 
me?" 

"  What  else  should  I  mean?  "  she  said  slowly.  "  It 
is  not  new  to  me;  I  have  known  for  a  long  while." 

"That  I  loved  you!" 

"  Yes,"  smiling  now.  "  Love  is  no  mystery  to  a 
woman.  I  do  not  care  because  you  are  in  the  ranks; 
that  is  only  a  temporary  condition.  I  knew  you  out 
there,  at  the  very  first,  as  a  gentleman.  I  have  never 
doubted  you.  Here,  in  this  wilderness,  I  am  not 
afraid.  It  is  not  because  my  father  is  dead  or  because 
he  has  been  guilty  of  crime,  that  I  say  this.  I  would 
have  said  it  before,  on  the  balcony  there  in  Dodge, 
had  you  asked  me.  It  is  not  the  uniform  I  love,  but 
the  man.  Can  you  not  understand?  " 

''Will  you  marry  me  —  a  sergeant  of  cavalry?" 

She  was  still  smiling,  her  eyes  frankly  looking  into 
his  own. 

341 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  I  will  marry  David  Hamlin,"  she  answered  firmly, 
"  let  him  be  what  he  may." 

The  man  let  out  his  suppressed  breath  in  a  sob  of 
relief,  his  eyes  brightening  with  triumph. 

"  Oh,  Molly  I  Molly!  "  he  cried,  "  I  cannot  tell  you 
what  this  all  means  to  me.  There  is  no  past  now  to 
my  life,  but  all  future." 

"Am  I  that  to  you?" 

"That!  Yes,  and  a  thousand  times  more!  I  had 
ambition  once,  opportunity,  even  wealth.  They  were 
swept  away  by  a  man's  lie,  a  woman's  perfidy.  Out 
of  that  wreck,  I  crawled  into  the  world  again  a  mere 
thing.  I  lived  simply  because  I  must  live,  skulking  in 
obscurity,  my  only  inspiration  the  hope  of  an  honor 
able  death  or  an  opportunity  for  vengeance.  Mine 
was  the  life  of  the  ranks  in  the  desert,  associating  with 
the  lowest  scum,  in  constant  contact  with  savagery.  I 
could  not  speak  to  a  decent  woman,  or  be  a  man  among 
men.  There  was  nothing  left  me  but  to  brood  over 
wrongs,  and  plot  revenge.  I  became  morose,  savage, 
a  mere  creature  of  discipline,  food  for  powder.  It  was 
no  more  when  I  first  met  you.  But  with  that  meeting 
the  chains  snapped,  the  old  ambitions  of  life  returned. 
You  were  a  mere  girl  from  the  East ;  you  did  not  under 
stand,  nor  care  about  the  snobbery  of  army  life.  No, 

342 


WORDS  OF  LOVE 

it  was  not  that  —  you  were  above  it.  You  trusted  me, 
treated  me  as  a  friend,  almost  as  an  equal.  I  loved 
you  then,  when  we  parted  on  the  trail,  but  I  went  back 
to  New  Mexico  to  fight  fate.  It  was  such  a  hopeless 
dream,  yet  all  summer  long  I  rode  with  memory  tug 
ging  at  my  heart.  I  grew  to  hate  myself,  but  could 
never  forget  you." 

She  drew  nearer,  her  hand  upon  his  arm,  her  face 
uplifted. 

"And  you  thought  I  did  not  care?" 

"How  could  I  dream  you  did?"  almost  bitterly. 
"You  were  gracious,  kind  —  but  you  were  a  major's 
daughter,  as  far  away  from  me  as  the  stars.  I  never 
heard  from  you ;  not  even  a  rumor  of  your  whereabouts 
came  to  me  across  the  plains.  I  supposed  you  had 
returned  East;  had  passed  out  of  my  life  forever. 
Then  that  night  when  we  rode  into  Dodge  I  saw  you 
again  —  saw  you  in  the  yellow  lamp-light  watching 
us  pass,  heard  you  ask  what  troops  those  were,  and  I 
knew  instantly  all  my  fighting  out  there  in  the  desert 
had  been  vain  —  that  you  were  forever  the  one,  one 
woman." 

"  I  remained  for  that,"  she  confessed  softly,  her 
lashes  wet. 

"At  Dodge?" 

343 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

'  Yes,  at  Dodge.  I  knew  you  would  come,  must 
come.  Some  intuition  seemed  to  tell  me  that  we  should 
meet  again.  Oh,  I  was  so  happy  the  night  you  came ! 
No  one  had  told  me  your  troop  had  been  ordered  in. 
It  was  like  a  dream  come  true.  When  I  saw  you  lead 
ing  your  horse  across  the  parade  I  could  hardly  refrain 
from  calling  out  to  you  before  them  all.  I  did  not 
care  what  they  thought  —  for  my  soldier  had  come 
home  from  the  wars." 

"  Sweetheart,"  the  deep  voice  faltering,  "  may  — 
may  I  kiss  you  ?  " 

"  Of  course  you  may." 

Their  lips  met,  and  she  clung  to  him,  as  his  arms 
held  her  closely.  It  was  like  a  dream  to  him,  this 
sudden,  unexpected  surrender.  Perhaps  she  read  this 
in  his  eyes. 

"  Do  not  misunderstand,"  she  urged  softly.  "  I  do 
not  come  to  you  because  of  what  has  happened,  be 
cause  I  am  alone  and  helpless.  If  you  had  stepped 
from  the  ranks  that  night  at  Dodge,  I  would  have 
answered  even  as  I  do  now." 

'You  love  me?  —  love  me?"  he  repeated. 

"  Yes." 

Even  as  he  looked  down  into  her  upturned  face, 

344 


WORDS  OF  LOVE 

there  was  borne  back  upon  him  a  realization  of  their 
predicament.  His  eyes  swept  over  the  surrounding 
desolation,  the  two  dead  bodies  lying  motionless  in  the 
snow,  the  stiffening  pony,  the  drear  hillside  which  shut 
them  in.  The  sight  brought  him  back  to  conscious 
ness  with  a  shock.  Minutes  might  mean  much  now. 
Dupont  had  disappeared  over  that  ridge  to  the  right, 
in  the  direction  of  Black  Kettle's  camp.  How  far 
away  that  might  be  was  altogether  guess-work,  yet 
what  would  inevitably  occur  when  the  fugitive  arrived 
among  his  friends,  and  told  his  story,  could  be  clearly 
conceived.  Even  if  the  man  believed  Hamlin  killed, 
he  would  recall  to  mind  the  girl,  and  would  return  to 
assure  himself  as  to  her  fate.  Knowing  her  helpless 
ness,  the  practical  impossibility  of  her  escape  alone,  a 
return  expedition  might  not  be  hurried,  yet,  beyond 
doubt,  this  isolated  valley  would  have  Indian  visitors 
within  a  few  hours.  And  when  these  discovered  the 
truth  they  would  be  hot  upon  a  trail  where  concealment 
was  impossible.  The  only  hope  or  escape,  and  that 
far  from  brilliant, —  as  he  remembered  the  long  desert 
ride  from  the  distant  cow-camp  on  the  Cimarron, — 
lay  in  immediate  departure.  Every  moment  of  delay 
served  to  increase  their  peril.  Even  beyond  the  danger 

345 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

of  Dupont's  report  to  Black  Kettle,  this  snow-bound 
valley  was  not  so  far  away  from  that  chief's  camp 
as  to  be  safe  from  invasion  by  young  warriors 
in  search  of  game.  All  this  flashed  upon  Hamlin's 
consciousness  instantly,  even  as  his  heart  thrilled  to 
her  frank  avowal. 

"  This  is  so  strange  I  can  hardly  realize  the  truth," 
he  said  gravely.  "  But,  dear  one,  we  must  talk  else 
where,  and  not  here.  Life  was  never  before  worth 
so  much  as  it  is  now,  and  every  instant  we  waste  here 
may  mean  capture  and  death.  Come,  there  are  two 
ponies  at  the  mouth  of  the  valley." 

He  snatched  up  the  blanket  from  the  ground,  and 
wrapped  it  about  her  in  such  manner  as  to  enable  her 
to  walk;  stooped  over  Hughes,  loosened  the  revolver 
from  his  stiffened  fingers,  and  then  came  back  to  where 
she  waited. 

"  You  can  walk?     It  is  not  far." 

"  Yes,  the  numbness  is  all  gone." 

i 

He  was  all  seriousness  now,  alert  and  watchful,  the 
plainsman  and  the  soldier. 

"Then  come;  I'll  break  trail." 

"Where  is  the  Indian  village?"  she  asked,  her 
voice  trembling  slightly. 

"  Beyond  those  bluffs;  at  least  Hughes  thought  so. 

346 


WORDS  OF  LOVE 

We  saw  their  pony  herd  in  the  valley  below,  mere  dots 
against  the  snow." 

Ten  minutes  later,  ploughing  through  the  interven 
ing  drifts,  they  came  forth  to  the  broad  vista  of  the 
valley  and  the  two  patient  ponies  standing  motionless. 


347 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

MOLLY'S  STORY 

two  rode  steadily,  following  the  trail  left  by 
Hamlin  and  Hughes  earlier  in  the  morning. 
As  there  had  been  no  wind,  and  the  cold  had  crusted 
the  snow,  the  tracks  left  by  the  two  ponies  were  easily 
followed.  As  they  skirted  the  ridge  the  Indian  pony 
herd  could  be  distinguished,  sufficiently  close  by  this 
time  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  what  they  were.  Hamlin 
cautiously  kept  back  out  of  sight  in  the  breaks  of  the 
ridge,  although  his  keen  eyes,  searching  the  upper  val 
ley,  discovered  no  sign  of  pursuit.  Tired  as  Dupont's 
horse  undoubtedly  was,  he  might  not  yet  have  attained 
the  Indian  encampment,  which,  in  truth,  might  be  much 
farther  away  than  Hughes  had  supposed.  The  fact 
that  no  spirals  of  smoke  were  visible  puzzled  the  Ser 
geant,  for  in  that  frosty  air  they  should  naturally  be 
perceived  for  a  considerable  distance.  Possibly,  how 
ever,  the  bluffs  were  higher  and  more  abrupt,  farther 
up  stream,  affording  better  chances  of  concealment. 
Indeed  it  was  quite  probable  that  the  Indians  would 

348 


MOLLY'S  STORY 

seek  the  most  sheltered  spot  available  for  their  winter 
camp,  irrespective  of  any  possible  fear  of  attack.  Rea 
sonably  safe  from  a  winter  campaign,  the  atrocities 
of  the  past  summer  would  naturally  tend  to  make  them 
unusually  cautious  and  watchful. 

Molly,  muffled  to  the  eyes  in  her  thick  blanket,  per 
mitted  her  pony  to  follow  the  other  without  guidance, 
until  they  both  dipped  down  into  the  hollow,  safe  from 
any  possible  observation.  In  some  mysterious  way  the 
overpowering  feeling  of  terror  which  had  controlled 
her  for  days  past  had  departed.  The  mere  presence 
of  Hamlin  was  an  assurance  of  safety.  As  she  watched 
him,  erect  in  saddle,  his  blue  overcoat  tightly  buttoned, 
his  revolver  belt  strapped  outside,  she  no  longer  felt 
any  consciousness  of  the  surrounding  desolation,  or 
the  nearness  of  savage  foes.  Her  heart  beat  fast  and 
her  cheeks  flushed  in  memory  of  what  had  so  swiftly 
occurred  between  them.  Without  thought,  or  strug 
gle,  she  gave  herself  unreservedly  to  his  guidance, 
serenely  confident  in  his  power  to  succeed.  He  was  a 
man  so  strong,  so  resourceful,  so  fitted  to  the  environ 
ment,  that  her  trust  in  him  was  unquestioned.  She 
needed  to  ask  nothing;  was  content  to  follow  in  silence. 
Even  as  she  realized  the  completeness  of  her  surren 
der,  the  Sergeant,  relaxing  none  of  his  watchfulness, 

349 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

checked  his  pony  so  that  they  could  ride  onward  side 
by  side. 

"  We  will  follow  the  trail  back,"  he  explained,  glan 
cing  aside  at  her  face.  "  It  is  easier  to  follow  than 
to  strike  out  for  ourselves  across  the  open." 

"Where  does  it  lead?" 

"  To  an  old  cow-camp  on  the  Cimarron.  There  is 
a  trooper  there  waiting.  Shall  I  tell  you  the  story?  " 

"  I  wish  you  would." 

"  And  then  I  am  to  have  yours  in  return  —  every 
thing?" 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  and  their  eyes  met.  '*  There  is 
nothing  to  conceal  —  from  you." 

He  told  his  tale  simply,  and  in  few  words;  how  he 
had  missed,  and  sought  after  her  in  Dodge;  how  that 
searching  had  led  directly  to  the  discovery  of  crime, 
and  finally  the  revealment  of  Major  McDonald's  body. 
He  told  of  his  efforts  at  organizing  a  party  to  follow 
the  fugitives,  inspired  by  a  belief  that  she  was  a  pris 
oner,  of  the  trip  through  the  blizzard,  and  of  how  he 
had  succeeded  in  outstripping  Dupont  in  the  race. 

The  girl  listened  silently,  able  from  her  own  experi 
ence  to  fill  in  the  details  of  that  relentless  pursuit, 
which  could  not  be  halted  either  by  storm  or  bullets. 
The  strength,  the  determination  of  the  man,  appealed 

350 


MOLLY'S  STORY 

to  her  with  new  force,  and  tears  welled  into  her 
eyes. 

;<  Why,  you  are  crying!"  he  exclaimed  in  surprise. 

'  That  is  nothing,"  her  lips  smiling,  as  she  loosened 
one  hand  from  the  blanket  and  reached  across  to  clasp 
his.  "  You  must  know,  dear,  how  happy  I  am  to  have 
found  you.  No  one  else  could  have  done  this." 

"  Oh,  yes,  little  girl,"  soberly.  "  Wasson  would 
have  gone  on,  if  I  had  been  the  one  to  go  down.  The 
hardest  part  of  it  all  was  waiting  for  the  storm  to 
cease,  not  knowing  where  you  were  hidden  —  that 
nearly  drove  me  insane." 

"I  understand;  uncertainty  is  harder  to  bear  than 
anything  else.  Shall  I  tell  you  now  what  happened 
to  me?" 

'  Yes,"  tenderly,  "  as  much,  or  as  little  as  you 
please." 

'  Then  it  shall  be  everything,  dear,"  her  hand-grasp 
tightening.  A  moment  she  hesitated,  looking  out 
across  the  snow  plains,  and  then  back  into  his  eyes. 
From  their  expression  she  gained  courage  to  proceed, 
her  voice  low,  yet  clear  enough  to  make  every  syllable 
distinctly  audible. 

"I  —  I  was  frightened  when  you  left  me  alone  on 
the  balcony,  and  went  in  to  confront  Mrs.  Dupont. 

351 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

I  knew  the  woman  and  suspected  that  she  would  only 
be  too  glad  to  find  some  indiscretion  she  could  use 
against  me.  It  occurred  to  me  that  possibly  she  had 
seen  me  enter  the  parlor  and  was  there  herself  to  make 
sure.  If  so,  she  would  hesitate  at  no  trick  to  verify 
her  suspicions.  This  thought  so  took  possession  of 
me  that  I  determined  to  escape  if  possible.  And  it 
appeared  easy  of  accomplishment.  There  was  but  a 
short  drop  to  the  ground,  while  a  few  steps  around  the 
end  of  the  hotel  would  bring  me  safely  to  the  front 
entrance.  The  temptation  to  try  was  irresistible.  I 
heard  your  voices  within  and  thought  I  understood  her 
game.  It  was  dark  below,  yet  I  knew  how  close  the 
earth  was,  and  there  was  no  sign  of  any  one  about. 
I  clambered  over  the  railing,  let  myself  down  as  far 
as  I  could,  and  dropped.  The  slight  fall  did  not  even 
jar  me,  yet  I  was  none  too  soon.  As  I  crouched  there 
in  the  darkness,  she  flung  open  the  curtains,  and  looked 
out  on  to  the  vacant  balcony.  I  saw  the  flash  of  light, 
and  heard  her  laugh  —  it  was  not  pleasant  laughter, 
for  she  was  disappointed  not  to  find  me  there.  After 
the  curtains  fell  again  I  could  no  longer  hear  your 
voices,  and  my  sole  desire  was  to  get  back  into  the 
hotel  unobserved.  I  was  not  afraid,  only  I  dreaded 
to  meet  any  one  who  might  recognize  me." 

352 


MOLLY'S  STORY 

She  paused  in  her  recital,  as  though  to  recall  more 
clearly  the  exact  facts,  the  two  riding  forward,  Hamlin 
leaning  over  toward  her,  occasionally  glancing  watch 
fully  behind. 

"  The  guests  were  already  beginning  to  straggle 
back  to  the  dance  hall  from  supper,  and  I  waited  in 
the  shadow  of  the  building  for  an  opportunity  to  slip 
into  the  hotel  unobserved.  While  I  hid  there  a  cav 
alry  soldier  from  the  fort  rode  up,  swung  down  from 
his  saddle,  and  ran  up  the  steps.  I  heard  him  ask  for 
Major  McDonald.  Almost  immediately  he  came  out 
again,  and  I  passed  him  on  the  porch.  Just  inside  the 
door  I  met  my  father.  He  was  leaving  the  hotel  with 
Dupont,  and  the  latter  swore  savagely  when  I  caught 
my  father's  arm,  asking  what  message  the  orderly  had 
brought.  He  answered  strangely,  saying  he  had  re 
ceived  orders  to  go  at  once  to  Ripley  on  the  stage; 
that  he  might  be  gone  several  days.  There  was  noth 
ing  about  all  that  to  startle  a  soldier's  daughter,  but 
Dupont  kept  his  hand  on  my  father's  arm,  urging  him 
to  hurry.  The  actions  of  the  man  aroused  my  sus 
picions.  I  knew  my  father  was  acting  paymaster,  and 
I  could  perceive  the  outlines  of  a  leather  bag  bulging 
beneath  his  overcoat.  If  this  contained  money,  then 
I  grasped  Dupont's  purpose.  My  plan  of  action 

23  353 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

occurred  to  me  in  a  flash  —  I  would  accompany  him 
until  —  until  he  was  safely  in  the  stage,  and  find  oppor 
tunity  to  whisper  warning.  I  remember  asking  him 
to  wait  a  moment  for  me,  and  rushing  to  the  cloak 
room  after  my  coat.  But  when  I  returned  they  were 
gone.  I  ran  out  into  the  street,  but  they  were  not  to 
be  seen;  they  had  not  gone  toward  the  stage  office,  for 
the  lights  revealed  that  distance  clearly,  and  they  had 
had  no  time  in  which  to  disappear  within.  With  the 
one  thought  that  Dupont  had  lured  my  father  out  of 
sight  for  purposes  of  robbery,  I  started  to  run  down 
the  little  alley-way  next  the  hotel.  I  know  now  how 
foolish  I  was,  but  then  I  was  reckless.  It  was  dark  and 
I  saw  and  heard  nothing  to  warn  me  of  danger.  It 
was  in  my  mind  that  my  father  had  been  lured  on  to 
the  open  prairie  behind  the  hotel.  Suddenly  I  was 
seized  roughly,  and  a  cloth  whipped  over  my  face 
before  I  could  even  scream.  I  heard  a  voice  say: 
1  Damned  if  it  ain't  the  girl!  What  will  we  do  with 
her?'  and  then  Dupont's  voice  answered  gruffly: 
*  Hell,  there  ain't  anything  to  do,  but  take  the  little 
hussy  along.  She  'd  queer  the  whole  game,  an'  we  Ve 
got  an  extra  horse.'  They  jerked  me  forward  so 
roughly,  and  I  was  so  frightened  that  —  that  I  must 
have  fainted.  At  any  rate  I  remember  nothing  more 

354 


MOLLY'S  STORY 

distinctly  until  we  had  crossed  the  river,  and  I  was 
on  horseback  wrapped  in  a  blanket,  and  tied  to  the 
saddle.  Some  one  was  holding  me  erect;  I  could  not 
move  my  arms,  but  could  see  and  hear.  It  was  dark, 
and  we  were  moving  slowly;  there  were  two  Indians 
ahead,  and  a  white  man  riding  each  side  of  me.  They 
thought  me  unconscious  still,  and  spoke  occasionally; 
little  by  little  I  recognized  their  voices,  and  understood 
their  words." 

Her  voice  broke  into  a  sob,  but  the  Sergeant's  eyes 
were  still  gazing  vigilantly  out  over  the  snow-clad 
hills. 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell  the  rest,"  she  said  finally,  "  but 
I  learned  that  it  was  not  robbery,  but  the  betrayal  of 
trust.  My  father  was  guilty,  and  yet  at  the  same  time 
a  victim.  I  only  got  the  truth  in  snatches,  which  I  had 
to  piece  together,  although  later  I  learned  other  de 
tails.  Mrs.  Dupont  had  bled  my  father  through  some 
knowledge  she  had  gained  of  his  sister's  family.  I 
cannot  even  imagine  what  this  could  have  been,  but  it 
was  sufficient  for  her  purpose.  He  gave  her  all  he 
had,  and  then  —  then  she  heard  of  this  government 
money  being  sent  to  Ripley.  She  had  known  about 
that  for  several  days  through  the  Lieutenant,  and  had 
ample  time  to  arrange  the  plot.  My  father  must  have 

355 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

been  crazy  to  have  entered  into  the  scheme,  but  he  did, 
he  did.  The  woman  compelled  him  to  it." 

"  I  understand,  Molly,"  broke  in  Hamlin,  anxious 
to  spare  her  the  details.  "  They  were  to  pretend  rob 
bery,  but  with  the  Major's  connivance.  An  officer 
impersonating  him  was  despatched  to  Ripley  by  stage. 
This  would  prevent  any  immediate  pursuit.  Later  the 
Major  was  to  be  released,  to  return  to  Dodge  with  his 
story.  The  projection  of  yourself  into  the  affair  dis 
arranged  the  entire  plot,  and  then  a  quarrel  occurred, 
and  your  father  was  killed." 

"Yes;  it  was  over  what  should  be  done  with  me; 
although  I  believe  now  they  intended  to  kill  him,  so 
as  to  retain  all  the  money.  The  older  Indian  fired  the 
shot  treacherously." 

"And  Connors?" 

"  Dupont  killed  him;  they  were  both  drunk,  and 
the  soldier  fired  first,  but  missed." 

"And  after  that?" 

She  covered  her  face  with  her  hands. 

"  It  was  all  a  dream  of  continuous  horror,  yet 
through  it  all,  I  do  not  recall  consciousness  of  physical 
torture.  I  seemed  to  be  mentally  numbed,  my  brain 
a  blank.  It  was  a  realization  of  my  father's  guilt 
more  than  my  own  danger  which  affected  me  —  that 

356 


MOLLY'S  STORY 

and  his  death.  They  were  not  unkind  nor  brutal. 
Indeed  I  do  not  clearly  recall  that  I  was  even  spoken 
to,  except  when  some  necessary  order  was  given.  One 
night  I  heard  them  discuss  what  should  be  done  with 
me;  that  I  was  to  be  hidden  away  in  Black  Kettle's 
camp.  Generally  Dupont  spoke  to  the  Indians  in 
their  own  tongue,  but  that  night  he  thought  me  asleep. 
I  —  I  had  no  hope  left  —  not  even  faith  that  you  could 
ever  rescue  me." 

Hamlin's  hand  clasped  hers  firmly,  but  his  eyes  were 
riveted  on  something  in  the  distance. 

"  Wait,"  he  said,  checking  his  horse,  "  what  is  that? 
See ;  down  in  the  valley  of  the  creek !  Is  it  not  a  mov 
ing  body  of  men?  " 


357 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

THE  ADVANCE  OF  CUSTER 

THE  Sergeant  swung  down  from  the  saddle  and 
forced  both  ponies  back  below  the  crest  of  the 
hill,  his  swift  glance  sweeping  back  over  their  trail. 
Then  he  gazed  again  searchingly  into  the  valley  below. 

"  What  is  it?  "  she  questioned. 

"  A  moving  column  of  horsemen,  soldiers  from  their 
formation,  for  Indians  never  march  in  column  of  fours. 
They  are  too  far  away  for  me  to  be  certain  yet.  What 
troops  can  be  away  out  here?  " 

"  Was  n't  there  to  be  a  winter  campaign  against 
Black  Kettle?"  she  questioned.  "It  was  the  rumor 
at  Dodge.  Perhaps  — " 

"  Why,  yes,  that  must  be  it,"  he  interrupted  eagerly. 
"  Custer  and  the  Seventh.  What  luck !  And  I'll  be 
in  it  with  the  boys  after  all." 

"  Shall  we  not  ride  to  meet  them?  " 

"  Soon,  yes;  only  we  need  to  be  certain  first." 

"  Are  you  not?  "  and  she  rose  in  her  stirrups.  "  I 

353 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  CUSTER 

am  sure  they  are  cavalrymen.  Now  you  can  see  clearly 
as  they  climb  the  hill." 

"  There  is  no  doubt,"  he  admitted,  "  a  single  troop 
ahead  of  the  main  body;  the  others  will  be  beyond  the 
bend  in  the  stream." 

He  stepped  back,  where  he  could  look  directly  into 
her  face. 

"  They  are  soldiers  all  right,  but  that  was  not  what 
I  wanted  to  be  so  certain  about.  When  we  ride  down 
there,  Molly  girl,  we  shall  be  swallowed  up  into  the 
old  life  once  more,  the  old  army  life." 

"  Yes." 

"  Perhaps  you  do  not  realize  how  different  it  will 
all  be  from  out  here  alone  together." 

"  Why  should  it  be  different?  " 

"  I  shall  be  again  a  soldier  in  the  ranks,  under  or 
ders,  and  you  Major  McDonald's  daughter." 

"But  —  but — "  her  eyes  full  of  appeal. 

"  No,  little  girl,"  he  explained  quickly,  reaching  up 
and  touching  her  gently;  "  we  are  never  going  to  say 
anything  about  that  to  those  down  there  —  his  com 
rades  in  arms.  It  is  going  to  be  our  secret.  I  am 
glad  you  told  me;  it  has  brought  us  together  as,  per 
haps,  nothing  else  could,  but  there  is  no  reason  why 
the  world  should  ever  know.  Let  them  think  he  died 

359 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

defending  his  trust.  Perhaps  he  did;  what  you  over 
heard  might  have  been  said  for  a  purpose,  but,  even 
if  it  were  true,  he  had  been  driven  to  it  by  a  merciless 
woman.  It  is  ours  to  defend,  not  blacken  his  mem 
ory." 

She  bent  slowly  down  until  her  cheek  touched  his. 

"I  —  I  thought  you  would  say  that,"  she  returned 
slowly,  "  but  what  else  you  said  is  not  so  —  there  will 
never  again  be  a  barrier  of  rank  between  us."  She 
straightened  in  the  saddle,  looking  down  into  his  eyes. 
"  Whoever  the  officer  may  be  in  command  of  that  de 
tachment,  I  want  you  to  tell  him  all." 

"All?" 

'  Yes,  that  we  are  engaged ;  I  am  proud  to  have 
them  know." 

The  truth  was  shining  in  her  eyes,  glowing  on  her 
cheeks.  She  leaned  forward. 

"  Kiss  me,  and  believe!  " 

"  Molly,  Molly,"  he  whispered.  "  Never  will  I 
doubt  again." 

They  could  perceive  the  blue  of  the  overcoats  as 
they  rode  over  the  ridge,  and  at  their  sudden  appear 
ance  the  little  column  of  horsemen  came  to  a  halt. 
Hamlin  flung  up  one  hand  in  signal,  and  the  two  urged 
their  ponies  down  the  side  of  the  hill.  Three  men 

360 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  CUSTER 

spurred  forth  to  meet  them,  spreading  out  slightly  as 
though  still  suspicious  of  some  trick,  but,  as  they  drew 
near,  the  leader  suddenly  waved  his  hand,  and  they 
dashed  forward. 

"Hamlin!  Glad  to  see  you  again,"  the  first  rider 
greeted  the  Sergeant  cordially.  "  Can  this  be  Major 
McDonald's  daughter." 

'Yes,  Major  Elliott;  I  can  repeat  the  story  as  we 
ride  along,  sir.  You  are  the  advance  of  Custer's  ex 
pedition,  I  presume?" 

'  We  are;  the  others  are  some  miles  behind,  moving 
slowly  so  that  the  wagons  can  keep  within  touch. 
Wonderful  the  way  those  wagons  have  pushed  ahead 
over  the  rough  country.  Have  only  missed  camp 
twice  since  we  left  Dodge." 

"When  was  that,  sir?" 

"  Before  the  blizzard  all  except  your  troop  were  at 
Camp  Supply;  they  had  joined  since,  and  it  was  then 
we  heard  about  your  trip  down  here.  What  became 
of  your  men,  Sergeant?" 

"  Wasson  and  one  private  were  killed,  sir;  the 
other  private  was  frozen  so  badly  I  had  to  leave  him 
in  shelter  on  the  Cimarron." 

"  By  gad,  it  sounds  interesting;  and  so  you  tackled 
the  villains  alone,  and  had  some  fight  at  that  before 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

rescuing  Miss  McDonald.  Well,  the  story  will  keep 
until  we  make  camp  again.  However,"  and  he  bent 
low  over  the  lady's  hand,  "  I  must  congratulate 
Miss  McDonald  on  her  escaping  without  any  serious 
injury." 

;'  That  is  not  all  I  should  be  congratulated  upon, 
Major  Elliott,"  she  said  quietly. 

"  No  —  eh  —  perhaps  I  do  not  understand." 

"  I  desire  that  you  shall;  I  refer  to  my  engagement 
to  Sergeant  Hamlin." 

The  officer  glanced  in  some  bewilderment  from  her 
face  to  that  of  the  silent  trooper. 

1  You  —  you  mean  matrimonial?"  he  stammered, 
plainly  embarrassed,  unable  so  suddenly  to  grasp  the 
peculiar  situation.  "Hamlin,  what  —  what  does  this 
mean?  " 

"  Miss  Molly  and  I  have  known  each  other  for  some 
time,"  explained  the  Sergeant  bluntly.  "  Out  here 
alone  we  discovered  we  were  more  than  friends. 
That  is  all,  sir." 

For  an  instant  Elliott  hesitated,  held  by  the  strange 
etiquette  of  rank,  then  the  gentleman  conquered  the 
soldier,  and  he  drew  off  his  glove,  and  held  out  his 
hand. 

"  I    can   congratulate   you,    Miss   McDonald,"    he 

362 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  CUSTER 

exclaimed  frankly.     "  I  have  known  Sergeant  Hamlin 
for  two  years;  he  is  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman." 

The  red  blood  swept  into  her  cheeks,  her  eyes 
brightening. 

"  He  is  my  soldier,"  she  replied  softly,  "  and  the 
man  I  love." 

They  rode  together  down  the  steep  hillside  covered 
with  its  mantle  of  snow  to  join  the  little  body  of  troop 
ers  halted  in  the  valley.  Only  once  did  Elliott  speak. 

"You  know  Black  Kettle's  camp,  Sergeant?" 
'  We  were  almost  within  sight  of  it,  sir.     I  saw 
his  pony  herd  distinctly." 

"  Where  was  that?" 

"  On  the  Canadian,  close  to  the  mouth  of  Buffalo 
Creek." 

"  Did  you  learn  anything  as  to  the  number  of  In 
dians  with  him?  " 

"  Nothing  definite,  but  it  is  a  large  encampment,  not 
all  Cheyennes." 

"  So  we  heard,  but  were  unable  to  discover  the  exact 
situation.  We  have  been  feeling  our  way  forward 
cautiously.  I  fear  it  is  going  to  be  my  unpleasant  duty 
to  separate  you  and  Miss  McDonald.  We  shall  need 
your  services  as  guide,  and  the  lady  will  be  far  better 
off  with  the  main  column.  Indeed  some  of  the  empty 

363 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

wagons  are  to  be  sent  back  to  Camp  Supply  to-night, 
and  probably  Custer  will  deem  it  best  that  she  return 
with  them.  This  winter  campaigning  is  going  to  be 
rough  work,  outside  of  the  fighting.  You  know  Cus 
ter,  and  his  style;  besides  Sheridan  is  himself  at  Camp 
Supply  in  command." 

"You  hear,  Molly?" 

'Yes;  of  course,  I  will  do  whatever  General  Cus 
ter  deems  best.  Are  there  any  women  at  Camp  Sup 
ply,  Major?  " 

'  Yes,  a  few ;  camp  women  mostly,  although  there 
may  be  also  an  officer's  wife  or  two —  I9th  Kansas 
volunteers." 

'  Then  it  will  be  best  for  me  to  go  there,  if  I  can," 
she  smiled.  "  I  am  desperately  in  need  of  clothes." 

"  I  suspected  as  much.  I  will  arrange  to  give  you 
a  guard  at  once.  And  you,  Sergeant?  As  you  are 
still  under  special  orders,  I  presume  I  have  no  author 
ity  to  detain  you  in  my  command." 

"  I  prefer  to  remain,  sir,"  grimly.  "  Dupont,  Miss 
McDonald's  captor,  is  alive  and  in  Black  Kettle's 
camp.  We  still  have  a  feud  to  settle." 

"Good;  then  that  is  arranged;  ah,  Miss  McDon 
ald,  allow  me  to  present  Lieutenant  Chambers.  Lieu 
tenant,  detail  three  men  to  guard  the  lady  back  to  the 

364 


THE  ADVANCE  OF  CUSTER 

main  column.     Have  her  taken  to  General  Custer  at 
once." 

'  Very  well,  sir;  and  the  command?  " 

Elliott  looked  at  the  Sergeant  inquiringly. 
'  That  is   for  Sergeant  Hamlin  to  determine ;  he 
has  just  been  scouting  through  that  country,  and  will 
act  as  guide." 

The  Sergeant  stood  for  a  moment  motionless  be 
side  his  horse  studying  the  vista  of  snow-draped  hill 
side.  The  region  beyond  the  crest  of  the  ridge  un 
rolled  before  his  memory. 

'  Then  we  will  keep  directly  on  up  this  valley,  sir," 
he  said  at  last.  "It's  Wolf  Creek,  is  it  not?  We 
shall  be  safer  to  keep  out  of  sight  to-day,  and  this 
depression  must  lead  toward  the  Canadian.  May  I 
exchange  mounts  with  one  of  those  men  going  back, 
Major?  I  fear  my  pony  is  about  done." 

"  Certainly." 

There  was  no  opportunity  for  anything  save  a  sim 
ple  grasp  of  the  hand,  ere  Molly  rode  away  with  her 
escort.  Then  the  little  column  of  troopers  moved  on, 
and  Hamlin,  glancing  backward  as  he  rode  past,  took 
his  place  in  advance  beside  Major  Elliott. 


365 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE   INDIAN   TRAIL 

THE  weather  became  colder  as  the  day  advanced. 
Scattered  pellets  of  snow  in  the  air  lashed  the 
faces  of  the  troopers,  who  rode  steadily  forward, 
the  capes  of  their  overcoats  thrown  over  their  heads 
for  protection.  The  snow  of  the  late  storm  lay  in 
drifts  along  the  banks  of  the  narrow  stream,  and  the 
horses  picked  their  passage  higher  up  where  the  wind 
had  swept  the  brown  earth  clear,  at  the  same  time 
keeping  well  below  the  crest.  As  they  thus  toiled 
slowly  forward,  Hamlin  related  his  story  to  the  Major 
in  detail,  carefully  concealing  all  suspicion  of  McDon 
ald's  connection  with  the  crime.  It  was  growing  dusk 
when  the  company  emerged  into  the  valley  of  the 
Canadian.  All  about  them  was  desolation  and  silence, 
and  as  they  were  still  miles  away  from  the  position 
assigned  for  Black  Kettle's  encampment,  the  men  were 
permitted  to  build  fires  and  prepare  a  warm  meal 
under  shelter  of  the  bluffs.  Two  hours  later  the  main 
column  arrived  and  also  went  into  camp.  It  was 

366 


THE  INDIAN  TRAIL 

intensely  cold  but  the  men  were  cheerful  as  they  ate 
their  supper  of  smoky  and  half-roasted  buffalo  meat, 
bacon,  hard-tack,  and  coffee. 

In  response  to  orders  the  Sergeant  went  down  the 
line  of  tiny  fires  to  report  in  person  to  Custer.  He 
found  that  commander  ensconced  in  a  small  tent, 
hastily  erected  in  a  little  grove  of  cottonwoods,  which 
afforded  a  slight  protection  from  the  piercing  wind. 
Before  him  on  the  ground  from  which  the  snow  had 
been  swept  lay  a  map  of  the  region,  while  all  about, 
pressed  tightly  into  the  narrow  quarters,  were  his 
troop  officers.  As  Hamlin  was  announced  by  the 
orderly,  conversation  ceased,  and  Custer  surveyed  the 
newcomer  an  instant  in  silence. 

"  Step  forward,  Sergeant,"  he  said  quietly.  "  Ah, 
yes;  I  had  forgotten  your  name,  but  remember  your 
face,"  he  smiled  about  on  the  group.  "  We  have  been 
so  scattered  since  our  organization,  gentlemen,  that 
we  are  all  comparative  strangers."  He  stood  up, 
lifting  in  one  hand  a  tin  cup  of  coffee.  "  Gentlemen, 
all  we  of  the  Seventh  rejoice  in  the  honor  of  the  serv 
ice,  whether  it  be  upheld  by  officer  or  enlisted  man.  I 
bid  you  drink  a  toast  with  me  to  Sergeant  Hamlin." 

"  But,  General,  I  have  done  nothing  to  deserve  — " 

"  Observe  the  modesty  of  a  real  hero.  Yet  wait 

367 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

until  I  am  through.  With  due  regard  for  his  achieve 
ments  as  a  soldier,  I  propose  this  toast  in  commemora 
tion  of  a  greater  deed  of  gallantry  than  those  of  arms 
—  the  capture  of  Miss  Molly  McDonald !  " 

There  was  a  quick  uplifting  of  cups,  a  burst  of 
laughter,  and  a  volley  of  questions,  the  Sergeant 
staring  about  motionless,  his  face  flushed. 

"What  is  it,  General?" 

"Tell  us  the  story!" 

"  Give  us  the  joke!  " 

"  But  I  assure  you  it  is  no  joke.  I  have  it  direct 
from  the  fair  lips  of  the  lady.  Brace  yourselves,  gen 
tlemen,  for  the  shock.  You  young  West  Pointers 
lose,  and  yet  the  honor  remains  with  the  regiment. 
Miss  Molly  McDonald,  the  toast  of  old  Fort  Dodge, 
whose  bright  eyes  have  won  all  your  hearts,  has  given 
hers  to  Sergeant  Hamlin  of  the  Seventh.  And  now 
again,  boys,  to  the  honor  of  the  regiment!  " 

Out  of  the  buzz  of  conversation  and  the  hearty 
words  of  congratulation,  Hamlin  emerged  bewildered, 
finding  himself  again  facing  Custer,  whose  manner  had 
as  swiftly  changed  into  the  brusque  note  of  command. 

"  I  have  met  you  before,  Sergeant,"  he  said  slowly, 
"  before  your  assignment  to  the  Seventh,  I  think.  I 
am  not  sure  where;  were  you  in  the  Shenandoah?  " 

368 


THE  INDIAN  TRAIL 

"  I  was,  sir." 

"At  Winchester?" 

"  I  saw  you  first  at  Cedar  Creek,  General  Custer; 
I  brought  a  flag." 

"That's  it;  I  have  the  incident  clearly  before  me 
now.  You  were  a  lieutenant-colonel?" 

"  Of  the  Fourth  Texas,  sir." 

"Exactly;  I  think  I  heard  later  —  but  never  mind 
that  now.  Sheridan  remembers  you;  he  even  men 
tioned  your  name  to  me  a  few  weeks  ago.  No  doubt 
that  was  what  caused  me  to  recognize  your  face  again 
after  all  these  years.  How  long  have  you  been  in  our 
service?  " 

"  Ever  since  the  war  closed." 

For  a  moment  the  two  men  looked  into  each  others' 
faces,  the  commander  smiling,  the  enlisted  man  at  re 
spectful  attention. 

"  I  will  talk  with  you  at  some  future  time,  Ser 
geant,"  Custer  said  at  last,  resuming  his  seat  on  a  log. 
"  Now  we  shall  have  to  consider  the  to-morrow's 
march.  Were  you  within  sight  of  Black  Kettle's 
camp?  " 

"  No,  sir;  only  of  his  pony  herd  out  in  the  valley  of 
the  Canadian." 

'Where  would  you  suppose  the  camp  situated?" 
369 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  Above,  behind  the  bluffs,  about  the  mouth  of  Buf 
falo  Creek." 

Custer  drew  the  map  toward  him,  scrutinizing  it 
carefully. 

'  You  may  be  right,  of  course,"  he  commented,  his 
glance  on  the  faces  of  the  officers,  "  but  this  does  not 
agree  with  the  understanding  at  Camp  Supply,  nor  the 
report  of  our  Indian  scouts.  We  supposed  Black 
Kettle  to  be  farther  south  on  the  Washita.  How 
large  was  the  pony  herd?  " 

'  We  were  not  near  enough  to  count  the  animals, 
sir,  but  there  must  have  been  two  hundred  head." 

"  A  large  party  then,  at  least.  What  do  you  say, 
Corbin?" 

The  scout  addressed,  conspicuous  in  his  buffalo  skin 
coat,  leaned  against  the  tent-pole,  his  black  whiskers 
moving  industriously  as  he  chewed. 

'  Wai,  Gineral,"  he  said  slowly,  "  I  know  this  yere 
'  Brick  '  Hamlin,  an'  he  's  a  right  smart  plainsman, 
sojer  'er  no  sojer.  If  he  says  he  saw  thet  pony  herd, 
then  he  sure  did.  Thet  means  a  considerable  bunch 
o'  Injuns  thar,  er  tharabouts.  Now  I  know  Black 
Kettle's  outfit  is  down  on  the  Washita,  so  the  only 
conclusion  is  that  this  yere  band  thet  the  Sergeant 
stirred  up  is  some  new  tribe  er  other,  a-driftin'  down 

370 


THE  INDIAN  TRAIL 

frum  the  north.  I  reckon  if  we  ride  up  ther  valley 
we  '11  hit  their  trail,  an'  it  '11  lead  straight  down  to 
them  Cheyennes." 

Custer  took  time  to  consider  this  explanation, 
spreading  the  field  map  out  on  his  knees,  and  measur 
ing  the  distance  between  the  streams.  No  one  in  the 
little  group  spoke,  although  several  leaned  forward 
eagerly.  The  chief  was  not  a  man  to  ask  advice; 
he  preferred  to  decide  for  himself.  Suddenly  he 
straightened  up  and  threw  back  his  head  to  look 
about. 

"In  my  judgment  Corbin  is  right,  gentlemen,"  he 
said  impetuously.  "  I  had  intended  crossing  here,  but 
instead  we  will  go  further  up  stream.  There  is  doubt 
less  a  ford  near  Buffalo  Creek,  and  if  we  can  strike  an 
Indian  trail  leading  to  the  Washita,  we  can  follow 
easily  by  night,  or  day,  and  it  is  bound  to  terminate  at 
Black  Kettle's  camp.  -  Return  to  your  troops,  and  be 
ready  to  march  at  daybreak.  Major  Elliott,  you  will 
take  the  advance  again,  at  least  three  hours  ahead  of 
the  main  column.  Move  with  caution,  your  flankers 
well  out;  both  Hamlin  and  Corbin  will  go  with  you. 
Are  there  any  questions?  " 

"  Full  field  equipment?  "  asked  a  voice. 

"  Certainly,  although  in  case  of  going  into  action 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

the  overcoats  will  be  discarded.  Look  over  your  am 
munition  carefully  to-night." 

They  filed  out  of  the  tent  one  by  one,  some  of  the 
older  officers  pausing  a  moment  to  speak  with  Hamlin, 
his  own  captain  extending  his  hand  cordially,  with 
a  warm  word  of  commendation.  The  Sergeant  and 
Major  Elliott  alone  remained. 

"  If  I  strike  a  fresh  trail,  General,"  asked  the 
latter,  "  am  I  to  press  forward  or  wait  for  the  main 
body?" 

"  Send  back  a  courier  at  once,  but  advance  cau 
tiously,  careful  not  to  expose  yourselves.  There  is  to 
be  no  attack  except  in  surprise,  and  with  full  force. 
This  is  important,  Major,  as  we  are  doubtless  out 
numbered,  ten  to  one.  Was  there  something  else, 
Sergeant?  " 

"  I  was  going  to  ask  about  Miss  McDonald,  sir." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  she  is  safely  on  her  way  to  Camp  Sup 
ply,  under  ample  guard.  The  convoy  was  to  stop  on 
the  Cimarron,  and  pick  up  the  frozen  soldier  you  left 
there,  and  if  possible,  find  the  bodies  of  the  two  dead 


men." 


Long  before  daylight  Elliott's  advance  camp  was 
under  arms,  the  chilled  and  sleepy  troopers  moving 

372 


THE  INDIAN  TRAIL 

forward  through  the  drifted  snow  of  the  north  bank; 
the  wintry  wind,  sweeping  down  the  valley,  stung  their 
faces  and  benumbed  their  bodies.  The  night  had 
been  cold  and  blustery,  productive  of  little  comfort  to 
either  man  or  beast,  but  hope  of  early  action  animated 
the  troopers  and  made  them  oblivious  to  hardship. 
There  was  little  grumbling  in  the  ranks,  and  by  day 
break  the  head  of  the  long  column  came  opposite  the 
opening  into  the  valley  wherein  Hamlin  had  over 
taken  the  fugitives.  With  Corbin  beside  him,  the  Ser 
geant  spurred  his  pony  aside,  but  there  was  little  to  see ; 
the  bodies  of  the  dead  lay  as  they  had  fallen,  black 
blotches  on  the  snow,  but  there  were  no  fresh  trails  to 
show  that  either  Dupont,  or  any  Indian  ally,  had  re 
turned  to  the  spot. 

"That's  evidence  enough,  'Brick,'5  commented 
the  scout,  staring  about  warily,  "  that  thar  wus  no 
permanent  camp  over  thar,"  waving  his  hand  toward 
the  crest  of  the  ridge.  "  Them  redskins  was  on  the 
march,  an'  that  geezer  had  ter  follow  'em,  er  else 
starve  ter  death.  He  'd  a  bin  back  afore  this,  an'  on 
yer  trail  with  a  bunch  o'  young  bucks." 

From  the  top  of  the  ridge  they  could  look  down 
on  the  toiling  column  of  cavalrymen  below  in  the  bluff 
shadow,  and  gaze  off  over  the  wide  expanse  of  valley, 

373 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

through  which  ran  the  half-frozen  Canadian.     Every 
where  stretched  the  white,  wintry  desolation. 
"  Whar  wus  thet  pony  herd?  " 
Hamlin  pointed  up  the  valley  to  the  place  where 
the  swerve  came  in  the  stream. 

"  Just  below  that  point;  do  you  see  where  the  wind 
has  swept  the  ground  bare?  " 
"  Sure  they  were  n't  buffalo?  " 
"  They  were  ponies  all  right,  and  herded." 
The  two  men  spurred  back  across  the  hills,  and  made 
report  to  Elliott.  There  was  no  hesitancy  in  that 
officer.  The  leading  squadron  was  instantly  swung 
into  formation  as  skirmishers,  and  sent  forward. 
From  river-bank  to  crest  of  bluff  they  ploughed  through 
the  drifts,  overcoats  strapped  behind  and  carbines 
flung  forward  in  readiness  for  action,  but  as  they 
climbed  to  that  topmost  ridge,  eager,  expectant,  it  was 
only  to  gaze  down  upon  a  deserted  camp,  trampled 
snow,  and  blackened  embers  of  numerous  fires.  Ham 
lin  was  the  first  to  scramble  down  the  steep  bluff,  dis 
mount,  and  drag  his  trembling  horse  sliding  after. 
Behind  plunged  Corbin  and  Elliott,  anxious  to  read 
the  signs,  to  open  the  pages  of  this  wilderness  book. 
A  glance  here  and  there,  a  testing  of  the  blackened 
embers,  a  few  steps  along  the  broad  trail,  and  these 

374 


THE  INDIAN  TRAIL 

plainsmen  knew  the  story.  The  Major  straightened 
up,  his  hand  on  his  horse's  neck,  his  eyes  sweeping 
those  barren  plains  to  the  southward,  and  then  turned 
to  where  his  troopers  were  swarming  down  the  bluff. 

"  Corbin,"  he  said  sharply,  "  ride  back  to  General 
Custer  at  top  speed.  Tell  him  we  have  discovered  a 
Cheyenne  camp  here  at  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek  of 
not  less  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  warriors,  deserted, 
and  not  to  exceed  twenty-four  horses.  Their  trail 
leads  south  toward  the  Washita.  Report  that  we 
shall  cross  the  river  in  pursuit  at  once,  and  keep  on 
cautiously  until  dark.  Take  a  man  with  you;  no,  not 
Sergeant  Hamlin,  I  shall  need  him  here." 

The  scout  was  off  like  a  shot,  riding  straight  down 
the  valley,  a  trooper  pounding  along  behind  him. 
Major  Elliott  ran  his  eyes  over  the  little  bunch  of  cav 
alrymen. 

"  Captain  Sparling,  send  two  of  your  men  to  test 
the  depth  of  water  there  where  those  Indians  crossed. 
As  soon  as  ascertained  we  will  ford  the  river." 


375 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

READY   TO   ATTACK 

THERE  was  a  ford  but  it  was  rocky  and  danger 
ous,  and  so  narrow  that  horse  after  horse 
slipped  aside  into  the  swift  current,  bearing  his  rider 
with  him  into  the  icy  water.  Comrades  hauled  the 
unfortunate  ones  forth,  and  fires  were  hastily  built 
under  shelter  of  the  south  bank.  Those  who  reached 
the  landing  dry  shared  their  extra  clothing  with  those 
water-soaked,  and  hot  coffee  was  hastily  served  to  all 
alike.  Eager  as  the  men  were  to  push  forward,  more 
than  an  hour  was  lost  in  passage,  for  the  stream  was 
bank  full,  the  current  rapid  and  littered  with  quanti 
ties  of  floating  ice.  Some  of  these  ice  cakes  startled 
the  struggling  horses  and  inflicted  painful  wounds, 
and  it  was  only  by  a  free  use  of  ropes  and  lariats  that 
the  entire  command  finally  succeeded  in  attaining  the 
southern  shore.  Shivering  with  the  cold,  the  troopers 
again  found  their  saddles  and  pressed  grimly  forward 
on  the  trail.  Hamlin,  with  five  others,  led  the  way 
along  a  beaten  track  which  had  been  trampled  by  the 

376 


READY  TO  ATTACK 

passing  herd  of  Indian  ponies  and  plainly  marked  by 
the  trailing  poles  of  numerous  wicky-ups. 

This  led  straight  away  into  the  south  across  the  val 
ley  of  the  Canadian,  on  to  the  plains  beyond.  The 
snow  here  was  a  foot  deep  on  a  level,  and  in  places  the 
going  was  heavy.  As  they  advanced,  the  weather 
moderated  somewhat,  and  the  upper  crust  became 
soft.  Before  them  stretched  the  dreary  level  of  the 
plains,  broken  by  occasional  ravines  and  little  isolated 
patches  of  trees.  No  sign  of  Indians  was  seen  other 
than  the  deserted  trail,  and  confident  that  the  band  had 
had  fully  twenty-four  hours'  start  their  pursuers  ad 
vanced  as  rapidly  as  the  ground  would  permit.  The 
very  clearness  of  the  trail  was  evidence  that  the  Indians 
had  no  conception  that  they  were  being  followed. 
Confident  of  safety  in  their  winter  retreat,  they  were 
making  no  effort  to  protect  their  rear,  never  dreaming 
there  were  soldiers  within  hundreds  of  miles.  What 
ever  report  Dupont  had  made,  it  had  awakened  no 
alarm.  Why  should  it?  So  far  as  he  knew  there 
were  but  two  men  pursuing  him  into  the  wilderness, 
and  both  of  these  he  believed  lying  dead  in  the  snow. 

Steadily,  mile  after  mile,  they  rode,  and  it  was  after 
dark  when  the  little  column  was  finally  halted  beside 
a  stream,  where  they  could  safely  hide  themselves  in 

377 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

a  patch  of  timber.  Tiny  fires  were  built  under  pro 
tection  of  the  steep  banks  of  the  creek,  and  the  men 
made  coffee,  and  fed  their  hungry  horses.  The 
silence  was  profound.  It  was  a  dark  night,  although 
the  surrounding  snow  plains  yielded  a  spectral  light. 
Major  Elliott,  drinking  coffee  and  munching  hard 
tack  with  the  troop  captain,  sent  for  Sergeant  Hamlin. 
The  latter  advanced  within  the  glow  of  the  fire,  and 
saluted. 

"  We  have  been  gaining  on  those  fellows,  Sergeant," 
the  Major  began,  "  and  must  be  drawing  close  to  the 
Washita." 

"  We  are  travelling  faster  than  they  did,  sir,"  was 
the  reply,  "  because  they  had  to  break  trail,  and  there 
were  some  women  and  children  with  them.  I  have  no 
knowledge  of  this  region,  but  the  creek  empties  into 
the  Washita  without  doubt." 

"  That  would  be  my  judgment.  Sparling  and  I 
were  just  talking  it  over.  I  shall  wait  here  until  Cus- 
ter  comes  up;  my  force  is  too  small  to  attack  openly, 
and  my  orders  are  not  to  bring  on  an  engagement. 
Custer  has  some  Osage  scouts  with  him  who  will  know 
this  country." 

"  But,  Major,"  ventured  Hamlin,  "  if  the  General 
follows  our  trail  it  will  be  hours  yet  before  he  can 

378 


READY  TO  ATTACK 

reach  here,  and  then  his  men  will  be  completely  ex 
hausted." 

"  He  will  not  follow  our  trail.  He  has  Corbin  and 
'  California  Joe  '  with  him.  They  are  plainsmen  who 
know  their  business.  He  '11  cross  the  Canadian,  and 
strike  out  across  the  plains  to  intercept  us.  In  that 
way  he  will  have  no  farther  to  travel  than  we  have  had. 
In  my  judgment  we  shall  not  wait  here  long  alone. 
Have  you  eaten?  " 

"  No,  sir;  I  have  been  stationing  the  guard." 

"  Then  sit  down  here  and  share  what  little  we  have. 
We  can  waive  formality  to-night." 

It  was  after  nine  o'clock  when  the  sentries  chal 
lenged  the  advance  of  Custer's  column,  as  it  stole 
silently  out  of  the  gloom.  Ten  minutes  later  the  men 
were  hovering  about  the  fires,  absorbing  such  small 
comforts  as  were  possible,  while  the  General  and 
Major  Elliott  discussed  the  situation  and  planned  to 
push  forward.  An  hour  later  the  fires  were  extin 
guished,  the  horses  quietly  saddled,  and  noiselessly  the 
tired  cavalrymen  moved  out  once  more  and  took  up 
the  trail.  The  moon  had  risen,  lighting  up  the  desert, 
and  the  Osage  guides,  together  with  the  two  scouts,  led 
the  way.  At  Custer's  request  Hamlin  rode  beside  him 
in  lead  of  the  troopers.  Not  a  word  was  spoken  above 

379 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

a  whisper,  and  strict  orders  were  passed  down  the  line 
prohibiting  the  lighting  of  a  match  or  the  smoking  of 
a  pipe.  Canteens  were  muffled  and  swords  thrust 
securely  under  saddle  flaps.  Like  a  body  of  spectres 
they  moved  silently  across  the  snow  in  the  moonlight, 
cavalry  capes  drawn  over  their  heads,  the  only  sound 
the  crunching  of  horses'  hoofs  breaking  through  the 
crust. 

The  trail  was  as  distinct  as  a  road,  and  the  guides 
pushed  ahead  as  rapidly  as  by  daylight,  yet  with  ever 
increasing  caution.  Suddenly  one  of  the  Osages  sig 
nalled  for  a  halt,  averring  that  he  smelled  fire.  The 
scouts  dismounted  and  crept  forward,  discovering  a 
small  campfire,  deserted  but  still  smouldering,  in  a 
strip  of  timber.  Careful  examination  made  it  cer 
tain  that  this  fire  must  have  been  kindled  by  Indian 
boys,  herding  ponies  during  the  day,  and  probably 
meant  that  the  village  was  very  close  at  hand.  The 
Osage  guides  and  the  two  white  scouts  again  picked 
up  the  trail,  the  cavalry  advancing  slowly  some  dis 
tance  behind.  Custer,  accompanied  by  Hamlin,  rode 
a  yard  to  the  rear  and  joined  the  scouts,  who  were  cau 
tiously  feeling  their  way  up  a  slight  declivity. 

The  Osage  in  advance  crept  through  the  snow  to 
the  crest  of  the  ridge  and  looked  carefully  down  into 

380 


READY  TO  ATTACK 

the  valley  below.  Instantly  his  hand  went  up  in  a 
gesture  of  caution  and  he  hurriedly  made  his  cautious 
way  back  to  where  Custer  sat  his  horse  waiting. 

"  What  is  it?     What  did  you  see?  " 

"  Heap  Injuns  down  there !  " 

The  General  swung  down  from  his  saddle,  motioned 
the  Sergeant  to  follow,  and  the  two  men  crept  to  the 
crest  and  looked  over.  The  dim  moonlight  was  con 
fusing,  while  the  shadow  of  timber  rendered  every 
thing  indistinct.  Yet  they  were  able  to  make  out  a 
herd  of  ponies,  distinguished  the  distant  bark  of  a  dog 
and  the  tinkle  of  a  bell.  Without  question  this  was 
the  Indians'  winter  camp,  and  they  had  reached  it  un 
discovered.  Custer  glanced  at  his  watch  —  the  hour 
was  past  midnight.  He  pressed  Hamlin's  sleeve,  his 
lips  close  to  the  Sergeant's  ear. 

"  Creep  back,  and  bring  my  officers  up  here,"  he 
whispered.  "  Have  them  take  off  their  sabres." 

As  they  crept,  one  after  the  other,  to  where  he  lay 
in  the  snow,  the  General,  whose  eyes  had  become 
accustomed  to  the  moon-gleam,  pointed  out  the  loca 
tion  of  the  village  and  such  natural  surroundings  as 
could  be  vaguely  distinguished.  The  situation  thus 
outlined  in  their  minds,  they  drew  silently  back  from 
the  crest,  leaving  there  a  single  Osage  guide  on  guard, 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

and  returned  to  the  waiting  regiment,  standing  to  horse 
less  than  a  mile  distant.  Custer's  orders  for  immedi 
ate  attack  came  swiftly,  and  Hamlin,  acting  as  his 
orderly,  bore  them  to  the  several  commands.  The 
entire  force  was  slightly  in  excess  of  eight  hundred 
men,  and  there  was  every  probability  that  the  Indians 
outnumbered  them  five  to  one.  Scouts  had  reported 
to  Sheridan  that  this  camp  of  Black  Kettle's  was  the 
winter  rendezvous  not  only  of  Cheyennes,  but  also  of 
bands  of  fighting  Arapahoes,  Kiowas,  Comanches,  and 
even  some  Apaches,  the  most  daring  and  desperate 
warriors  of  the  plains.  Yet  this  was  no  time  to  hesi 
tate,  to  debate;  it  was  a  moment  for  decisive  action. 
The  blow  must  be  struck  at  once,  before  daylight,  with 
all  the  power  of  surprise. 

The  little  body  of  cavalrymen  was  divided  into  four 
detachments.  Two  of  these  were  at  once  marched  to 
the  left,  circling  the  village  silently  in  the  darkness, 
and  taking  up  a  position  'at  the  farther  extremity.  A 
third  detachment  moved  to  the  right,  and  found  their 
way  down  into  the  valley,  where  they  lay  concealed  in 
a  strip  of  timber.  Custer,  with  the  fourth  detachment 
under  his  own  command,  remained  in  position  on  the 
trail.  The  sleeping  village  was  thus  completely  sur 
rounded,  and  the  orders  were  for  those  in  command  of 

382 


READY  TO  ATTACK 

the  different  forces  to  approach  as  closely  as  possible 
without  running  risk  of  discovery,  and  then  to  remain 
absolutely  quiet  until  daybreak.  Not  a  match  was  to 
be  lighted  nor  a  shot  fired  until  the  charge  was  sounded 
by  the  trumpeter  who  remained  with  Custer.  Then 
all  were  to  spur  forward  as  one  man. 


383 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

THE   BATTLE   WITH   THE   INDIANS 

CORBIN  had  gone  with  the  detachment  circling 
to  the  left,  and  "  California  Joe  "  was  with  the 
other  in  the  valley,  but  Hamlin  remained  with  the 
chief.  About  them  was  profound  silence,  the  men 
standing  beside  their  horses.  There  was  nothing  to 
do  but  wait,  every  nerve  at  high  tension.  The  wintry 
air  grew  colder,  but  the  troopers  were  not  allowed  to 
make  the  slightest  noise,  not  even  to  swing  their  arms 
or  stamp  their  feet.  After  the  last  detachment  swept 
silently  out  into  the  night,  there  still  remained  four 
hours  until  daylight.  No  one  knew  what  had  oc 
curred;  the  various  troops  had  melted  away  into  the 
dark  and  disappeared.  No  word,  no  sound  had  come 
back.  They  could  only  wait  in  faith  on  their  com 
rades.  The  men  were  dismounted,  each  one  holding 
his  own  horse  in  instant  readiness  for  action.  Not  a 
few,  wearied  with  the  day's  work,  while  still  clinging 
to  their  bridles,  wrapped  the  capes  of  their  overcoats 

384 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  INDIANS 

over  their  heads  and  threw  themselves  down  in  the 
snow,  and  fell  asleep. 

At  the  first  sight  of  dawn  Hamlin  was  sent  down 
the  line  to  arouse  them.  Overcoats  were  taken  off, 
and  strapped  to  the  saddles,  carbines  loaded  and  slung, 
pistols  examined  and  loosened  in  their  holsters,  sad 
dles  recinched,  and  curb  chains  carefully  looked  after. 
This  was  the  work  of  but  a  few  moments,  the  half- 
frozen  soldiers  moving  with  an  eagerness  that  sent  the 
hot  blood  coursing  fiercely  through  numbed  limbs. 
To  the  whispered  command  to  mount,  running  from  lip 
to  lip  along  the  line,  the  men  sprang  joyously  into 
their  saddles,  their  quickened  ears  and  eager  eyes 
ready  for  the  signal. 

Slowly,  at  a  walk,  Custer  led  them  forward  toward 
the  crest  of  the  hill,  where  the  Osage  guide  watched 
through  the  spectral  light  of  dawn  the  doomed  village 
beneath.  To  the  uplift  of  a  hand  the  column  halted, 
and  Custer  and  his  bugler  went  forward.  A  step  be 
hind  crouched  the  Sergeant,  grasping  the  reins  of  three 
horses,  while  a  little  to  the  right,  beyond  the  sweep  of 
the  coming  charge,  waited  the  regimental  band. 

Peering  over  the  crest,  the  leader  saw  through  the 
dim  haze,  scarcely  five  hundred  yards  distant,  dotting 
the  north  bank  of  the  Washita  for  more  than  a  quarter 

25  385 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

of  a  mile,  the  Indian  village.  There  was  about  it 
scarcely  a  sign  of  human  life.  From  the  top  of  two 
or  three  of  the  tepees  light  wreaths  of  smoke  floated 
languidly  out  on  the  wintry  air,  and  beyond  the  pony 
herd  was  restlessly  moving.  Even  as  he  gazed,  half 
convinced  that  the  Indians  had  been  warned,  the  vil 
lage  deserted,  the  sharp  report  of  a  rifle  rang  out  in 
the  distance. 

Hamlin  saw  the  General  spring  upright,  his  lips 
uttering  the  sharp  command,  "  Sound  the  charge! " 
Even  while  the  piercing  blare  of  the  bugle  cut  the 
frosty  air,  there  was  a  jingle  of  steel  as  the  troopers 
behind  spurred  forward.  Almost  at  the  instant  the 
three  dismounted  men  were  in  saddle.  Custer  waved 
his  hand  at  the  band,  shouted  "  Play !  "  and  to  the  rol 
licking  air  of  "  Garry  Owen,"  the  eager  column  of 
horsemen  broke  into  a  mad  gallop,  and  with  ringing 
cheers  and  mighty  rush,  swept  over  the  ridge  straight 
down  into  the  startled  village.  To  Hamlin,  at  Cus- 
ter's  side,  reins  in  his  teeth,  a  revolver  in  either  hand, 
what  followed  was  scarcely  a  memory.  It  remained 
afterward  as  a  blurred,  indistinct  picture  of  action, 
changing  so  rapidly  as  to  leave  no  definite  outlines. 
He  heard  the  answering  call  of  three  bugles;  the 
deafening  thud  of  horses'  hoofs;  the  converging  cheers 

386 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  INDIANS 

of  excited  troopers;  the  mingling  ring  of  revolver 
shots;  a  sharp  order  cleaving  the  turmoil;  the  wild 
neigh  of  a  stricken  horse;  the  guttural  yells  of  In 
dians  leaping  from  their  tepees  into  the  open.  Then 
he  was  in  the  heart  of  the  village,  firing  with  both 
hands;  before  him,  about  him,  half-naked  savages 
fighting  desperately,  striking  at  him  with  knives, 
firing  from  the  shelter  of  tepees,  springing  at  him 
with  naked  hands  in  a  fierce  effort  to  drag  him  from 
the  saddle.  It  was  all  confusion,  chaos,  a  babble  of 
noise,  his  eyes  blinded  by  glint  of  steel  and  glare  of 
fire.  The  impetus  of  their  rush  carried  them  irresisti 
bly  forward;  over  and  through  tents  they  rode,  across 
the  bodies  of  living  and  dead;  men  reeled  and  fell 
from  saddle;  riderless  horses  swept  on  unguided;  re 
volvers  emptied  were  flung  aside,  and  hands  closed 
hard  on  sabre  hilts.  Foot  by  foot,  yard  by  yard,  they 
drove  the  wedge  of  their  charge,  until  they  swept 
through  the  fringe  of  tepees,  out  into  the  stampeded 
pony  herd. 

The  bugle  rang  again,  and  they  turned,  facing  back, 
and  charged  once  more,  no  longer  in  close  formation, 
but  every  trooper  fighting  as  he  could.  Complete  as 
the  surprise  had  been,  the  men  of  the  Seventh  realized 
now  the  odds  against  them,  the  desperate  nature  of  the 

387 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

fight.  Out  from  the  sheltering  tepees  poured  a  flood 
of  warriors;  rifles  in  hand  they  fought  savagely.  The 
screams  of  women  and  children,  the  howling  and  bay 
ing  of  Indian  dogs,  the  crack  of  rifles,  the  wild  war 
cries,  all  mingled  into  an  indescribable  din.  Black 
Kettle  was  almost  the  first  to  fall,  but  other  chiefs 
rallied  their  warriors,  and  fought  like  fiends,  yielding 
ground  only  by  inches,  until  they  found  shelter  amid 
the  trees,  and  under  the  river  bank. 

In  the  cessation  of  hand  to  hand  fighting  the  de 
tachments  came  together,  reforming  their  ranks,  and 
reloading  their  arms.  Squads  of  troopers  fired  the 
tepees,  and  gathering  their  prisoners  under  guard, 
hastened  back  to  the  ranks  again  at  the  call  of  the 
bugle.  By  now  Custer  comprehended  his  desperate 
position,  and  the  full  strength  of  his  Indian  foes. 
Fresh  hordes  were  before  him,  already  threatening 
attack.  Hamlin,  bleeding  from  two  flesh  wounds, 
rode  in  from  the  left  flank  where  he  had  been  borne 
by  the  impetus  of  the  last  charge,  with  full  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  Their  attack  had  been  centred  on  Black 
Kettle's  village,  but  below,  a  mile  or  two  apart,  were 
other  villages,  representing  all  the  hostile  tribes  of  the 
southern  plains.  Already  these  were  hurrying  up  to 
join  those  rallying  warriors  under  shelter  of  the  river 

388 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  INDIANS 

bank.  Even  from  where  Custer  stood  at  the  outskirts 
of  the  devastated  village  he  could  distinguish  the  war- 
bonnets  of  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes,  Kiowas  and  Co- 
manches  mingled  together  in  display  of  savagery. 

His  decision  was  instant,  that  of  the  impetuous  cav 
alry  leader,  knowing  well  the  inherent  strength  and 
weakness  of  his  branch  of  the  service.  He  could  not 
hope  to  hold  his  position  before  such  a  mass  of  the 
enemy,  with  the  little  force  at  his  disposal.  His  only 
chance  of  escape,  to  come  off  victor,  was  to  strike  them 
so  swiftly  and  with  such  force  as  to  paralyze  pursuit. 
Already  the  reinforcing  warriors  were  sweeping  for 
ward  to  attack,  two  thousand  strong,  led  fiercely  by 
Little  Raven,  an  Arapahoe;  Santanta,  a  Kiowa,  and 
Little  Rock,  a  Cheyenne.  Dismounting  his  men  he 
prepared  for  a  desperate  resistance,  although  the 
troopers'  ammunition  was  running  low.  Suddenly, 
crashing  through  the  very  Indian  lines,  came  a  four- 
mule  wagon.  The  quartermaster  was  on  the  box, 
driving  recklessly.  Only  Hamlin  and  a  dozen  other 
men  were  still  in  saddle.  Without  orders  they  dashed 
forward,  spurring  maddened  horses  into  the  ranks  of 
the  Indians,  hurling  them  left  and  right,  firing  into 
infuriated  red  faces,  and  slashing  about  with  drip 
ping  sabres.  Into  the  lane  thus  formed  sprang  the 

389 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

tortured  mules,  sweeping  on  with  their  precious  load  of 
ammunition.  Behind  closed  in  the  squad  of  rescuers, 
struggling  for  their  lives  amid  a  horde  of  savages. 
Then,  with  one  wild  shout,  the  dismounted  troopers 
leaped  to  the  rescue,  hurling  back  the  disorganized 
Indian  mass,  and  dragging  their  comrades  from  the 
rout.  It  was  hand  to  hand,  clubbed  carbine  against 
knife  and  spear,  a  fierce,  breathless  struggle.  Behind 
eager  hands  ripped  open  the  ammunition  cases;  cart 
ridges  were  jammed  into  empty  guns,  and  a  second  line 
of  fighting  men  leaped  forward,  their  front  tipped 
with  fire. 

Dragged  from  his  horse  at  the  first  fierce  shock,  his 
revolver  empty,  his  broken  sabre  a  jagged  piece  of 
steel,  Hamlin  hacked  his  way  through  the  first  line  of 
warriors,  and  found  refuge  behind  a  dead  horse. 
Here,  with  two  others,  he  made  a  stand,  gripping  a 
carbine.  It  was  all  the  work  of  a  moment.  About 
him  were  skurrying  figures,  infuriated  faces,  threaten 
ing  weapons,  yells  of  agony,  cries  of  rage.  The  three 
fought  like  fiends,  standing  back  to  back,  and  striking 
blindly  at  leaping  bodies  and  clutching  hands.  Out 
of  the  mist,  the  mad  confusion  of  breathless  combat, 
one  face  alone  seemed  to  confront  the  Sergeant.  At 
first  it  was  a  delirium;  then  it  became  a  reality.  He 

390 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  INDIANS 

saw  the  shagginess  of  a  buffalo  coat,  the  gleam  of  a 
white  face.  All  else  vanished  in  a  fierce  desire  to  kill. 
He  leaped  forward,  crazed  with  sudden  hate,  hurled 
aside  the  naked  bodies  in  the  path,  and  sent  his  whirl 
ing  carbine  stock  crashing  at  Dupont.  Even  as  it 
struck  he  fell,  clutched  by  gripping  hands,  and  over  all 
rang  out  the  cheer  of  the  charging  troopers.  Hamlin 
staggered  to  his  knees,  spent  and  breathless,  and 
smiled  grimly  down  at  the  dead  white  man  in  that  ring 
of  red. 

It  was  over,  yet  that  little  body  of  troopers  dared  not 
remain.  About  them  still,  although  demoralized  and 
defeated,  circled  an  overwhelming  mass  of  savages 
capable  of  crushing  them  to  death,  when  they  again 
rallied  and  consolidated.  Custer  did  the  only  thing 
possible.  Turning  loose  the  pony  herd,  gathering  his 
captives  close,  he  swung  his  compact  command  into 
marching  column.  Before  the  scattered  tribes  could 
rally  for  a  second  attack,  with  flankers  out,  and  skir 
mishers  in  advance,  the  cavalrymen  rode  straight  down 
the  valley  toward  the  retreating  hostiles.  It  was  a 
bold  and  desperate  move,  the  commander's  object 
being  to  impress  upon  the  Indian  chiefs  the  thought 
of  his  utter  fearlessness,  and  to  create  the  impression 
that  the  Seventh  would  never  dare  such  a  thing  if  they 

391 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

did  not  have  a  larger  force  behind.  With  flags  un 
furled,  and  the  band  playing,  the  troopers  swept  on. 
The  very  mad  audacity  of  the  movement  struck  terror 
into  the  hearts  of  the  warriors,  and  they  broke  and 
fled.  As  darkness  fell  the  survivors  of  the  Seventh 
rode  alone,  amid  the  silent  desolation  of  the  plains. 

Halting  a  moment  for  rest  under  shelter  of  the  river 
bank,  Custer  hastily  wrote  his  report  and  sent  for 
Hamlin.  The  latter  approached  and  stood  motion 
less  in  the  red  glare  of  the  single  camp-fire.  The  im 
petuous  commander  glanced  up  inquiringly. 

"  Sergeant,  I  must  send  a  messenger  to  Camp  Sup 
ply.  Are  you  fit  to  go?  " 

"  As  much  so  as  any  one,  General  Custer,"  was  the 
quiet  response.  "  I  have  no  wounds  of  consequence." 

"  Very  well.  Take  the  freshest  horse  in  the  com 
mand,  and  an  Osage  guide.  You  know  the  country, 
but  he  will  be  of  assistance.  I  have  written  a  very 
brief  report;  you  are  to  tell  Sheridan  personally  the 
entire  story.  We  shall  rest  here  two  hours,  and  then 
proceed  slowly  along  the  trail.  I  anticipate  no  further 
serious  fighting.  You  will  depart  at  once." 

'  Very  well,  sir,"  the  Sergeant  saluted,  and  turned 
away,  halting  an  instant  to  ask,  "  You  have  reported 
the  losses,  I  presume?" 

392 


THE  BATTLE  WITH  THE  INDIANS 

"  Yes,  the  dead  and  wounded.  There  are  some 
missing,  who  may  yet  come  in.  Major  Elliott  and 
fourteen  others  are  still  unaccounted  for."  He  paused. 
"  By  the  way,  Sergeant,  while  you  are  with  Sheridan, 
explain  to  him  who  you  are  —  he  may  have  news  for 
you.  Good-night,  and  good  luck." 

He  stood  up  and  held  out  his  hand.  In  surprise, 
his  eyes  suddenly  filling  with  tears,  Hamlin  felt  the 
grip  of  his  fingers.  Then  he  turned,  unable  to  articu 
late  a  sentence,  and  strode  away  into  the  night. 


393 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

AT    CAMP    SUPPLY 

THERE  are  yet  living  in  that  great  Southwest 
those  who  will  retell  the  story  of  Hamlin's 
ride  from  the  banks  of  the  Washita  to  Camp  Supply. 
It  remains  one  of  the  epics  of  the  plains,  one  of  the 
proud  traditions  of  the  army.  To  the  man  himself 
those  hours  of  danger,  struggle  and  weariness,  were 
more  a  dream  than  a  reality.  He  passed  through 
them  almost  unconsciously,  a  soldier  performing  his 
duty  in  utter  forgetfulness  of  self,  nerved  by  the  disci 
pline  of  years  of  service,  by  the  importance  of  his 
mission,  and  by  memory  of  Molly  McDonald.  Love 
and  duty  held  him  reeling  in  the  saddle,  brought  him 
safely  to  the  journey's  end. 

Let  the  details  pass  unwritten.  Beneath  the  dark 
ening  skies  of  early  evening,  the  Sergeant  and  the 
Osage  guide  rode  forth  into  the  peril  and  mystery  of 
the  shrouded  desert.  Beyond  the  outmost  picket, 
moving  as  silently  as  two  spectres,  they  found  at  last 
a  coulee  leading  upward  from  the  valley  to  the  plains 

394 


AT  CAMP  SUPPLY 

above.  To  their  left  the  Indian  fires  swept  in  half 
circle,  and  between  were  the  dark  outlines  of  savage 
foes.  From  rock  to  rock  echoed  guttural  voices,  but, 
foot  by  foot,  unnoted  by  the  keen  eyes,  the  two  crept 
steadily  on  through  the  midnight  of  that  sheltering 
ravine,  dismounted,  hands  clasping  the  nostrils  of  their 
ponies,  feeling  through  the  darkness  for  each  step, 
halting  breathless  at  every  crackle  of  a  twig,  every 
crunch  of  snow  under  foot.  Again  and  again  they 
paused,  silent,  motionless,  as  some  apparition  of 
savagery  outlined  itself  between  them  and  the  sky,  yet 
slowly,  steadily,  every  instinct  of  the  plains  exercised, 
they  passed  unseen. 

In  the  earliest  gray  of  dawn  the  two  wearied  men 
crept  out  upon  the  upper  plateau,  dragging  their 
horses.  -Behind,  the  mists  of  the  night  still  hung 
heavy  and  dark  over  the  valley,  yet  with  a  new  sense 
of  freedom  they  swung  into  their  saddles,  faced  sternly 
the  chill  wind  of  the  north,  and  rode  forward  across 
the  desolate  snow  fields.  It  was  no  boys'  play!  The 
tough,  half-broken  Indian  ponies  kept  steady  stride, 
leaping  the  drifts,  skimming  rapidly  along  the  bare 
hillsides.  From  dawn  to  dark  scarcely  a  word  was 
uttered.  By  turns  they  slept  in  the  saddle,  the  one 
awake  gripping  the  others'  rein.  Once,  in  a  strip  of 

395 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

cottonwood,  beside  a  frozen  creek,  they  paused  to  light 
a  fire  and  make  a  hasty  meal.  Then  they  were  off 
again,  facing  the  frosty  air,  riding  straight  into  the 
north.  Before  them  stretched  the  barren  snow-clad 
steppes,  forlorn  and  shelterless,  with  scarcely  a  mark 
of  guidance  anywhere,  a  dismal  wilderness,  intersected 
by  gloomy  ravines  and  frozen  creeks.  Here  and  there 
a  river,  the  water  icy  cold  and  covered  with  floating 
ice,  barred  their  passage;  down  in  the  valleys  the 
drifted  snow  turned  them  aside.  Again  and  again  the 
struggling  ponies  floundered  to  their  ears,  or  slid  head 
long  down  some  steep  declivity.  Twice  Hamlin  was 
thrown,  and  once  the  Osage  was  crushed  between  float 
ing  cakes  and  submerged  in  the  icy  stream.  Across 
the  open  barrens  swept  the  wind  into  their  faces,  a 
ceaseless  buffeting,  chilling  to  the  marrow;  their  eyes 
burned  in  the  snow-glare.  Yet  they  rode  on  and  on, 
voiceless,  suffering  in  the  grim  silence  of  despair,  fit 
denizens  of  that  scene  of  utter  desolation. 

At  the  Cimarron  the  half-frozen  Indian  collapsed, 
falling  from  his  saddle  into  the  snow  utterly  exhausted. 
Staggering  himself  like  a  drunken  man,  the  Sergeant 
dragged  the  nerveless  body  into  a  crevice  of  the  bluff 
out  of  the  wild  sweep  of  the  wind,  trampled  aside  the 
snow  into  a  wall  of  shelter,  built  a  hasty  fire,  and 

396 


AT  CAMP  SUPPLY 

poured  hot  coffee  between  the  shivering  lips.  With 
the  earliest  gray  of  another  dawn,  the  white  man 
caught  the  strongest  pony,  and  rode  on  alone.  He 
never  knew  the  story  of  those  hours  —  only  that  his 
trail  led  straight  into  the  north.  He  rode  erect  at 
first,  then  leaning  forward  clinging  to  the  mane;  now 
and  then  he  staggered  along  on  foot  dragging  his  pony 
by  the  rein.  Once  he  stopped  to  eat,  breaking  the  ice 
in  a  creek  for  water.  It  began  to  snow,  the  thick  fall 
of  flakes  blotting  out  the  horizon,  leaving  him  to 
stumble  blindly  through  the  murk.  Then  darkness 
came,  wrapping  him  in  a  cloak  of  silence  in  the  midst 
of  that  unspeakable  desert.  His  limbs  stiffened,  his 
brain  reeled  from  intense  fatigue.  He  dragged  him 
self  back  into  the  saddle,  pressing  the  pony  into  a  slow 
trot.  Suddenly  out  of  the  wall  of  gloom  sprang  the 
yellow  lights  of  Camp  Supply.  Beneath  these  wink 
ing  eyes  of  guidance  there  burst  the  red  glare  of  a  fire. 
Even  as  he  saw  it  the  pony  fell,  but  the  exhausted  man 
had  forgotten  now  everything  but  duty.  The  knowl 
edge  that  he  had  won  the  long  struggle  brought  him 
new  strength.  He  wrenched  his  feet  free  from  the 
stirrups,  and  ran  forward,  calling  to  the  guard.  They 
met  him,  and  he  stood  straight  before  them,  every 
nerve  taut  —  a  soldier. 

397 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

"  I  bring  despatches  from  Custer,"  he  said  slowly, 
holding  himself  firm.  '  Take  me  to  General  Sheri 
dan." 

The  corporal  walked  beside  him,  down  the  trampled 
road,  questioning  eagerly  as  they  passed  the  line  of 
shacks  toward  the  double  log  house  where  the  com 
mander  was  quartered.  Hamlin  heard,  and  answered 
briefly,  yet  was  conscious  only  of  an  effort  to  retain  his 
strength.  Once  within,  he  saw  only  the  short,  sturdy 
figure  sitting  behind  a  table,  the  shaggy  gray  beard, 
the  stern,  questioning  eyes  which  surveyed  him.  He 
stood  there  straight,  motionless,  his  uniform  powdered 
with  snow,  his  teeth  clinched  so  as  not  to  betray  weak 
ness,  his  face  roughened  by  exposure,  grimy  with  dirt, 
and  disfigured  by  a  week's  growth  of  beard.  Sheri 
dan  stared  at  him,  shading  his  eyes  from  the  glow  of 
the  lamp. 

"You  are  from  Custer?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

He  drew  the  papers  from  within  his  overcoat, 
stepped  forward  and  laid  them  on  the  table.  Sheri 
dan  placed  one  hand  upon  them,  but  did  not  remove 
his  gaze  from  Hamlin's  face. 

"  .When  did  you  leave?  " 

398 


AT  CAMP  SUPPLY 

"  The  evening  of  the  27th,  sir.  I  was  sent  back 
with  an  Osage  guide  to  bring  you  this  report." 

"And  the  guide?" 

"  He  gave  out  on  the  Cimarron  and  I  came  on 
alone." 

"And  Custer?     Did  he  strike  Black  Kettle?" 

"  We  found  his  camp  the  evening  of  the  26th,  and 
attacked  at  daybreak  the  next  morning.  There  were 
more  Indians  with  him  than  we  expected  to  find  — 
between  two  and  three  thousand,  warriors  from  all  the 
southern  tribes.  Their  tepees  were  set  up  for  ten 
miles  along  the  Washita.  We  captured  Black  Ket 
tle's  village,  and  destroyed  it;  took  his  pony  herd,  and 
released  a  number  of  white  prisoners,  including  some 
women  and  children.  There  was  a  sharp  fight,  and 
we  lost  quite  a  few  men;  I  left  too  early  to  learn  how 
many." 

"  And  the  command  —  is  it  in  any  danger?  " 

"  I  think  not,  sir.  General  Custer  was  confident  he 
could  retire  safely.  The  Indians  were  thoroughly 
whipped,  and  apparently  had  no  chief  under  whom 
they  could  rally." 

The  General  opened  the  single  sheet  of  paper,  and 
ran  his  eyes  slowly  down  the  lines  of  writing.  Ham- 

399 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

lin,  feeling  his  head  reel  giddily,  reached  out  silently 
and  grasped  the  back  of  a  chair  in  support.  Sheridan 
glanced  up. 

"  General  Custer  reports  Major  Elliott  as  missing 
and  several  officers  badly  wounded." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

;'  What  Indians  were  engaged,  and  under  what 
chiefs?" 

"  Mostly  Cheyennes,  although  there  were  bands  of 
Arapahoes,  Kiowas,  Comanches,  and  a  few  Apaches. 
Little  Rock  was  in  command  after  Black  Kettle  was 
killed  —  that  is  of  the  Cheyennes.  Little  Raven, 
and  Santanta  led  the  others." 

"  A  fiend,  that  last.  But,  Sergeant,  you  are  ex 
hausted.  I  will  talk  with  you  to-morrow.  The  officer 
of  the  day  will  assign  you  quarters." 

Hamlin,  still  clinging  to  the  chair  with  one  hand, 
lifted  the  other  in  salute. 

"  General  Sheridan,"  he  said,  striving  to  control  his 
voice,  "  General  Custer's  last  words  to  me  were  that 
I  was  to  tell  you  who  I  am.  I  do  not  know  what  he 
meant,  but  he  said  you  would  have  news  for  me." 

"  Indeed !  "  in  surprise,  stiffening  in  his  chair. 

"  Yes,  sir  —  my  name  is  Hamlin." 

"Hamlin!  Hamlin!"  the  General  repeated  the 

400 


word.     "  I  have  no  recollection  —  why,  yes,  by  Gadl 
You  were  a  Confederate  colonel." 

"  Fourth  Texas  Infantry." 

"That's  it!  I  have  it  now;  you  were  court-mar 
tialed  after  the  affair  at  Fisher's  Hill,  and  dismissed 
from  the  service  —  disobedience  of  orders,  or  some 
thing  like  that.  Wait  a  minute." 

He  rapped  sharply  on  the  table,  and  the  door  .be 
hind,  leading  into  the  other  room,  instantly  opened  to 
admit  the  orderly.  In  the  dim  light  of  the  single 
lamp  Hamlin  saw  the  short,  stocky  figure  of  a  soldier, 
bearded,  and  immaculately  clean.  Even  as  the  fel 
low's  gloved  hand  came  sharply  up  to  his  cap  visor, 
Sheridan  snapped  out: 

"  Orderly,  see  if  you  recognize  this  man." 

Erect,  the  very  impersonation  of  military  discipline, 
the  soldier  crossed  the  room,  and  stared  into  the  un 
shaven  face  of  the  Sergeant.  Suddenly  his  eyes 
brightened,  and  he  wheeled  about  as  if  on  a  pivot, 
again  bringing  his  gloved  hand  up  in  salute. 

"  Eet  vas  Colonel  Hamlin,  I  tink  ya,"  he  said  in 
strong  German  accent.  "  I  know  heem." 

The  Sergeant  gripped  his  arm,  bringing  his  face 
about  once  more. 

'You   are   Shultz  —  Sergeant-Major   Shultz!"  he 
26  401 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

cried.      ;<  What  ever  became  of  you  ?     What  is  it  you 
know?" 

'  Wait  a  minute,  Hamlin,"  said  Sheridan  quickly, 
rising  to  his  feet.  "  I  can  explain  this  much  better 
than  that  Dutchman.  He  means  well  enough,  but 
his  tongue  twists.  It  seems  Custer  met  you  once  in 
the  Shenandoah,  and  later  heard  of  your  dismissal 
from  the  service.  One  night  he  spoke  about  the  affair 
in  my  quarters.  Shultz  was  present  on  duty  and  over 
heard.  He  spoke  up  like  a  little  man;  said  he  was 
there  when  you  got  your  orders,  that  they  were  de 
livered  verbally  by  the  staff  officer,  and  he  repeated 
them  for  us  word  for  word.  He  was  taken  prisoner 
an  hour  later,  and  never  heard  of  your  court-martial. 
Is  that  it,  Shultz?" 

"  Mine  Gott,  ya;  I  sa  dot  alreatty,"  fervently.  "  He 
tell  you  not  recoinnoisance  —  charge!  I  heard  eet 
twice.  Gott  in  Himmel,  vat  a  hell  in  der  pines !  " 

"  Hamlin,"  continued  Sheridan  quietly,  "  there  is 
little  enough  we  can  do  to  right  this  wrong.  There 
is  no  way  in  which  that  Confederate  court-martial  can 
be  reconvened.  But  I  shall  have  Shultz's  deposition 
taken  and  scattered  broadcast.  We  will  clear  your 
name  of  stain.  What  became  of  that  cowardly  cur 
who  lied?" 

402 


AT  CAMP  SUPPLY 

Hamlin  pressed  one  hand  against  his  throbbing  tem 
ples,  struggling  against  the  faintness  which  threatened 
mastery. 

"He  —  he  paid  for  it,  sir,"  he  managed  to  say. 
"  He  —  he  died  three  days  ago  in  Black  Kettle's 
camp." 

"You  got  him!" 

"Yes  — I  — I  got  him." 

44 1  have  forgotten  —  what  was  the  coward's 
name?  " 

44  Eugene  Le  Fevre,  but  in  Kansas  they  called  him 
Dupont." 

44  Dupont  I  Dupont  I  "  Sheridan  struck  the  table 
with  his  closed  fist.  44  Good  Lord,  man !  Not  the 
husband  of  that  woman  who  ran  off  with  Lieutenant 
Gaskins,  from  Dodge?" 

"I  —  I  never  heard  — " 

The  room  whirled  before  him  in  mist,  the  faces 
vanished;  he  heard  an  exclamation  from  Shultz,  a 
sharp  command  from  Sheridan,  and  then  seemed  to 
crumble  up  on  the  floor.  There  was  the  sharp  rustle 
of  a  woman's  skirt,  a  quick,  light  step,  the  pressure  of 
an  arm  beneath  his  head. 

44  Quick,  orderly,  he 's  fainted,"  it  was  the  Gen 
eral's  voice,  sounding,  afar  off.  44  Get  some  brandy, 

403 


MOLLY  MCDONALD 

Shultz.     Here,    Miss    McDonald,    let   me    hold   the 
man's  head." 

She  turned  slightly,  her  soft  hand  pressing  back  the 
hair  from  Hamlin's  forehead. 

"  No,"  she  protested  firmly,  "  he  is  my  soldier." 
And  the  Sergeant,  looking  past  the  face  of  the  girl 
he  loved  saw  tears  dimming  the  stern  eyes  of  his  com 
mander. 


THE   END 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A     000073128     1 


